Boys'll Be Boys, Girls'll Be Marines
by Lamminator
Summary: Add a female to RRTS Special 6, a dash of confusion, a pinch of action, and an ounce of romance. Shake vigorously. What do you get? A recipe for disaster. movie verse. ReaperOC.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **_I guess I should say I don't own the rights to anything (unfortunately), but enjoy anyway..._

_It may start out a little slow, but I hope it'll get better._

_Rated for language and violence._

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_**Chapter 1:**** Just Call Me Tex**_  
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_Sara Dupree was a Marine. She joined the special operations after a few years of military service...more specifically, she joined the Rapid Response Tactical Squad.

Sara was childhood friends with the Grimm twins. More so with Sam then John, Sam being the only other girl in the neighborhood. The twins were a little less than a year older than Sara. The three were inseparable and when the twins' archeologist parents died, Sara was with them.

Through the years, Sara developed a crush on John; naturally, she never told anyone, especially Sam.

When Sara joined the Marines, and ultimately RRTS, she was surprised to find out that John was also in RRTS.

Sara could remember her arrival to the RRTS team like it was yesterday.

Walking into RRTS headquarters around mid-afternoon, the first person (people, actually) she ran into was John and a buff guy in cargos and a muscle shirt.

"Sara Dupree?" the muscle guy asked, as she walked closer to the two.

"Yeah, that's me," she said, stopping and tossing down the bag she had slung over her shoulder. She pulled her shoulder-length, brunette hair into a high, tight bun.

Muscle guy subtly looked Sara up and down, but it didn't go unnoticed by her. She felt like he was checking her out.

"I'm Sarge. I've been told you already know Reaper," muscle guy said.

"That's correct, sir," she replied, making eye contact with John.

After a nod, Sarge continued.

"Might as well meet the rest of the team."

Sarge looked Sara over again before turning and walking down the hall.

John took the few steps toward Sara and extended his hand to her, but Sara thought a handshake wasn't good enough. She gave him a quick hug instead. They were still friends after all.

Picking up her bag, the two walked in the direction that Sarge went off to.

"Reaper, huh?" Sara asked quietly, with a grin.

"Yeah, fitting don't you think?" John replied with his own question.

"Definitely."

They caught up with Sarge at the top of some metal stairs. Sarge went down the stairs first, followed by John, then Sara.

Sara looked around the room as she went down the stairs. There were eight military issued cots; four on each side of the room. Next to each cot was a tall, thin locker.

At the bottom of the stairs, Sarge called the team together. John passed Sarge and joined the others. Sara tossed her bag by the end of the stairs, and went to stand next to Sarge, but stood just out of arms reach.

"All right, listen up. This is Sara Dupree, our newest member to the team. Be nice and introduce yourselves," Sarge instructed, then went back up the stairs.

Sara watched Sarge leave, then she turned back to the other six.

"Duke."

"Destroyer."

"Portman."

"Mac."

"Goat."

"Reaper."

"No kidding," Sara said, sarcastically, to John.

The one named Portman stepped forward and started circling Sara.

Sara didn't move; she just brought her left hand up to hold her right arm by the elbow.

"You got a nickname. Or should we give you one, Sweetheart?" Portman asked.

Sara looked up at the ceiling and sighed heavily. She then looked at John with a raised eyebrow.

Sara, John, and Sam created a system of looks when they were younger. It was their secret form of communication. Sara wanted to bring that communication back.

With the raised eyebrow, she was merely asking "can I?"

When she got the nod from John, she slowly grinned and let go of her elbow. Portman had stopped behind her.

In the next instant, Sara brought her right elbow up to Portman's face and hit hard. She then elbowed him in the stomach even harder, using her left hand to bring more force, and ultimately, more pain.

As Portman was doubled over in pain, Sara did a spin move where she crouched down and spun with one leg out. She successfully hit Portman's ankles, and sent him sprawling on his back to the floor. He groaned as his nose started to bleed.

Sara took slow steps over to Portman and made one more to step over him. When she had one foot on either side of his body, she brought her right knee down on his chest, right below his sternum.

He grunted and tried to knock her off, but failed miserably.

"Stop squirming," Sara demanded forcefully.

Portman stopped moving.

"Look. I didn't join the Marines, let alone RRTS, for the harassment. You call me that again or touch me in any suggestive way, I'll give you more than just a bloody nose. You'll have two black eyes, a _broken_ nose, missing teeth, a broken jaw, a concussion, bruised, if not broken, ribs, a twisted spine, internal bruising...oh, and how can I forget...?" Sara reached into her left boot and pulled out an intricately decorated hunting knife.

She spun it in her hand, then looked back at Portman.

"You'll lose something you might need later in life," she threatened, then turned to the other five. "That goes for the rest of you as well."

She emphasized her point by looking all of them (except John) straight in the eyes, and waved the knife in their direction.

"Got it?" she asked, turning her attention back to Portman.

He nodded quickly, so Sara got off of him and offered him a hand to help him up.

Portman looked at her hand suspiciously, but accepted it.

Sara pulled him to his feet, and he put his hand on his nose to try and stop the bleeding.

"Shit," he mumbled, and walked over to his cot for a tissue.

"Damn, girl. Glad you're on our side," Duke said.

Sara let out a small laugh.

"So you got a nickname or what?" Destroyer asked her.

"Sure do. Just call me Tex," she said, with a dramatic bow.

"Why 'Tex'?" Portman asked, coming back to join everyone else, clutching a tissue to his nose.

Sara opened her mouth to reply, when someone beat her to it.

"Because she's an accurate shot. One-hundred percent of the time."

Turning to the voice, Sara saw Sarge standing on the last step.

"That's why," she said to the others, indicating Sarge's response with her thumb.

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**A/N: **_Possitive feedback would be nice...no flames, please._  



	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **_Wooo, quick update..._

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_**Chapter 2:**** Temper, Temper  
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_Sarge tossed her a key ring with three keys on it, which she caught in front of her face. She looked at the keys, then back to Sarge with a raised eyebrow.

"Your room," he said simply, pointing to a door at the opposite end of the room.

"My room?" she asked, confused.

"Unless you'd rather stay in here...with them," Sarge countered.

Sara looked from Sarge to the others. Some were smirking.

"Point taken," she said, quickly.

Sarge picked up her bag and tossed it to her. She caught it easily.

"All right, men. We're on the range tomorrow, so rest up," Sarge said.

When everyone nodded or said a 'yes, sir,' Sarge went back up the stairs.

'I just hope it's bigger than a closet,' Sara thought, as she walked over to her room.

"Shit," she cursed in surprise as she opened the door.

Her room was about half the size of the guys' bunker. It was just an open room with a small cot in the far corner. There was a foot locker at the end of the cot, and those two items were the only things that occupied the room. Across from the cot was another door, possibly a bathroom.

John walked up behind her as the others went back to doing whatever they were doing before she arrived.

"Damn," John said. "Aren't you lucky?"

Sara slid her bag across the floor, where it hit the foot locker with a soft clang.

"If _you_ want to see it that way," she replied.

John looked at her.

"It's too big," she elaborated, shrugging a shoulder.

John grinned, then went to sit at a desk.

Sara closed the door to her room, and pulled a chair up along side John's desk. She turned it so she could sit backwards on it, cross her arms on the back, and rest her head on them.

"So what have you been up to all these years?" Sara asked him.

"The Marines," he said, simply.

"No shit, Sherlock. Besides that."

John thought for a moment.

"Nothing important."

Sara sighed.

"You're a man of few words now, aren't you? I remember when I couldn't get you to shut up," she grinned.

"Those days have passed, Sara," John said, solemnly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sara frowned, lifting her head off her arms.

John just stared at her with a straight face.

Sara stared back, trying to read his expression.

"What happened, John?" she asked, quietly.

He didn't respond, but his eyes slowly showed fear...or was it sadness?

Their staring contest was interrupted by Goat.

"How do you two know each other?" he asked, curiously.

"We're friends," Sara replied, not looking away from John.

"At least we were. I'm not too sure anymore," she said so only John could hear her.

The simple statement seemed to be enough for Goat, and he went back to reading his book...Bible.

"Don't do this," John said in a hushed tone, turning his attention to something on his desk.

"Do what?" Sara asked, just as quietly.

"Ask me about my past. You know what happened," he growled, still quietly, snapping his head in her direction.

"John, I..." Sara started, angrily.

"Uh oh, looks like trouble in paradise," Portman mocked.

"Fuck off, Portman. This doesn't concern you," John snapped at him.

Portman put his hands up in defense, and walked away.

"Come here," Sara demanded, pulling John to his feet by his arm.

She dragged him to her room and closed the door behind them. She took off the hoodie she was wearing, revealing a gray tank top, and stuck it under the door so one on else could overhear them.

"What the fuck, John. You used to be able to tell me anything. Now you won't? What the hell have the Marines done to you?" she asked, angrily raising her voice.

John lost it. He stalked over to her, grabbed her wrists, and shoved her up against the wall...hard. The sound echoed through the room, but Sara didn't flinch; a challenging look crossed her features. John held her there.

"It wasn't the fucking Marines that did anything," John said, through gritted teeth, inches away from her face. "It was my sister."

Sara's facial features softened as she stared at John in confusion.

"Your sister? Sam? What...?" was all she could spit out.

John's features softened also, but he still didn't let go of her.

"She's up there, Sara. On Olduvai. And has been for some time," John explained quietly.

"Shit. John, I'm sorry. I didn't know. Last time I heard from her, I was still in college," Sara said, sadly.

"She followed our parents...and I've hated her for doing it," John continued, and let his head fall on Sara's shoulder.

John's grip on her wrists slackened dramatically. Sara was able to pull her wrists away from him and she put her arms around him, holding him in a sympathetic embrace.

"Again, I'm sorry, John," she whispered to him.

He nodded against her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her waist.

They stayed that way for a few minutes before John spoke up.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked, not removing his head from Sara's shoulder.

Sara chuckled and moved her hands to John's shoulders.

"No, you didn't hurt me. I'm a Marine, remember? I deal with shit worse than that," she said.

"Like what?" John lifted his head to look into her eyes.

"Like Portman," she smiled at him.

John let out a hearty laugh.

"Yeah, he can be a horny bastard at times."

His face went serious.

"I'm sorry I got all..." he paused.

"Vicious? Angry? Temperamental?" Sara offered, grinning.

"Yeah, all of that. I don't normally talk about my past. Only Sarge knew...before you," he said.

"That's understandable. Don't worry about it," Sara smiled. "Feel better now that you've released some anger?"

"Yeah...thanks, Tex."

"Anytime...Reaper."

John finally let his arms drop from around Sara and they headed to the door. John was about to open it when Sara stopped him. He gave her a look.

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**A/N: **_We bit of a cliffhanger there...next one will probably be out Friday, or around that time..._  



	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **_So I took a day longer than I said I would...I was really tired, recovering from a day of walking/running (because it rained a little bit) through an amusement park, then getting drunk that night, and not going to bed until 4 AM...I'm all better now, though, with more story for you. :)_

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**Chapter 3: Welcome to RRTS, dumbass**

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"Wait," she said, and lowered herself to her stomach on the floor. 

She slowly pulled the hoodie away from the door and listened closely. She slowly grinned again, and moved away from the door. Standing up, she whispered to John.

"We have spies."

"Spies?" he repeated as he watched Sara put her hoodie back on.

"Yeah, at least two of them are, or were, listening to us...I'll bet one of 'em was Portman," she continued to whisper.

"I wouldn't doubt it. Ever the pervert," John agreed.

"Open it quick," Sara said, motioning to the door.

John nodded and did so. Standing on either side of the door was Portman and Duke. Portman walked away, nonchalantly, and flopped on his cot.

"Sorry. Curiosity got the better of me," Duke apologized very quietly.

Sara and John nodded to him, then looked toward Portman.

John glared at him, then went to his desk.

"Got something to say, Portman?" Sara asked.

"Nothing you'd want to hear," he said, smugly.

Sara bent down to her boot and pulled out her knife. With one quick flick of the wrist, she threw the knife towards Portman. It imbedded itself in the wall right next to his head.

Portman turned his head to look at the knife wobbling in the wall.

"You missed," Goat said.

"No I didn't...I aimed for the crack in the wall. I don't want his tainted blood on my good knife," Sara spat, grinning wickedly.

Portman pulled the knife out of the wall and looked at Sara.

"Go ahead...throw it at me," she taunted.

"Sara..." John warned.

"John, it's all right. I got this," she replied with confidence.

Portman stood from his cot, and walked to stand directly in front of Sara, across the room from her.

Sara and Portman stared at each other for a few moments.

From behind Portman, Sara could see Sarge start coming down the stairs.

Everyone was on their feet, watching the two in their showdown.

Sara kept grinning, waiting for Portman to make a move.

She didn't have to wait long, however.

Portman brought the knife up and chucked it as hard as he could towards Sara.

With her great reflexes and hand-eye coordination, Sara easily caught the knife by the handle, just as she moved her head to the side (just to be safe).

She looked from the knife in her hand to Portman and grinned even wider.

"Oh shit," said Destroyer.

"How the _hell_ did you learn that?" Duke asked.

Sara spun the knife in her hand, then replaced it in her boot.

"My uncle. He taught me everything he knew about knives," she shrugged.

All the guys looked at her with wide eyes and dropped jaws...all except Sarge, who just raised an eyebrow and grinned at her.

Portman returned his eyes to normal and clenched his jaw shut. He narrowed his eyes and stalked towards Sara, who didn't move.

The other six moved toward the two to prevent a fist-fight.

John stood behind Sara; Destroyer and Duke each took a hold of one of Portman's arms; Goat and Mac stood between the two; Sarge stood behind a struggling Portman.

"You bitch," Portman growled.

"Ouch. That hurt," Sara said, sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"All right. Portman: cool it. Sara: what the hell is going on?" Sarge asked, surprisingly calm.

"Not sure what's up with him, but I caught him eavesdropping on a conversation that didn't involve him," Sara explained, turning her attention to Sarge.

"Was this all because I kicked your ass?" Sara asked, looking back at Portman.

He seemed to growl at that.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," she mumbled.

"What?" Sarge asked.

Sara was about to answer, but Destroyer beat her to it.

"Portman tried to make a move on Tex. She gave him a fair warning...and a bloody nose."

"Is that true?" Sarge asked, walking closer to Sara.

"Yes...sir," she replied, adding 'sir' as an after thought.

Sarge sighed, then looked to Portman.

"True?"

"Yeah," Portman growled.

"Settle this. I don't want to have to get rid of either of you," Sarge demanded, looking between Sara and Portman, then went back up the stairs.

Sara shivered involuntarily.

John noticed her shiver and he became confused. She was wearing a hoodie and pants, so she couldn't be cold.

"You all right?" he whispered from behind her.

"Yeah. Fine," she said.

John wasn't completely satisfied with that answer, but dropped it for the time being.

By that time, Portman relaxed and stopped struggling, so Destroyer and Duke let go of him. They moved back a few paces.

Goat and Mac stepped away, and went back to what they were doing.

John also took a few steps back, but his eyes never left Sara and Portman.

Portman closed the gap between him and Sara, leaving only about a foot in between.

"I've never done this to a woman before, but I feel you deserve it," he said.

Sara frowned, not sure what he meant or what he was going to do.

At her look of confusion, Portman executed his move. With a swift move of his arm, he went to punch Sara in the stomach.

Sara saw the punch coming and tightened her stomach muscles to soften the blow.

Portman's fist made contact, and Sara grunted, holding a hand to her gut, bent over slightly.

"What the fuck, Portman," Goat said.

John started to approach her, but she held her free hand out to stop him in his tracks.

"Sara?" he asked cautiously, stopping.

Sara straightened, panting slightly.

"Feel better?" she sputtered to Portman.

"Oh, yeah," he said and walked away.

"Good. Glad you got that out of your system," she said to his retreating form.

Sara took her hand away from her stomach and turned to her room. Before going in, she looked at John with a pained expression on her face. She walked in and closed the door quietly behind her. Going over to her cot, she sat on the edge and took breaths; her stomach hurt. She laid back on the cot, still taking deep breaths, and brought her hands to her face. She let out a long, low groan.

"What a great start. Welcome to RRTS, dumbass," she said quietly, to herself. She let her hands fall away and stared at the ceiling.

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**A/N: **_Ah, Portman...ever the bastard..._

_Maybe I'll have another one out tonight or tomorrow for you all..._


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **_HA! I didn't lie! I have another for y'all...well, who ever reads this anyway...and I think you might like this one. ;)_

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**Chapter 4:**** Aftermath**

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**About an hour later, a knock came on Sara's door.

"It's open," she called, not sitting up from the cot.

The door opened, then closed again. She heard footsteps coming closer to her.

"Are you all right?"

Sara grinned.

"I think so, John."

"How long have you been lying like that?"

He was closer to her by then. She could see his head if she looked down (without moving her head).

"How long has it been since I came in here?" she countered.

"About an hour," he said, looking at his watch.

Sara made a gesture in their secret form of communication that basically meant 'there's your answer'.

"God, Sara," John mumbled, standing next to the cot.

"Help me up," Sara said, extending her arms up to John.

He took a hold of her hands, and pulled her into a sitting position.

She winced slightly as she let her arms drop back down to her sides.

"Does Sarge know what happened?" Sara asked.

"Not yet, but I'm sure he'll find out soon."

John sat next to her on the cot. "You sure you're all right?"

Sara turned her head to look at John, and saw real sincerity in his eyes.

"Yeah, the pain's fading," she said, unable to look away.

Evidently, John was having the same problem.

Sara eventually tore her eyes away from John's after a minute or so. She looked down to her knees, then across the room to stare at the wall for a moment.

"You sure we don't have any eavesdroppers?" she asked with a smile, while staring.

"I'm sure. They went for dinner," John replied, also with a smile.

Sara's smile faltered.

"Dinner? And you're not going?" she asked, looking back at John.

"Not hungry," he said simply. "Are you?"

"No," she laughed, but then regretted it. "I don't think I could keep anything down anyway."

John nodded as Sara laid back on the cot again.

"Sorry I made an ass of myself today. Must be embarrassing to know me now, huh?" Sara asked, staring at the ceiling, again.

"No, I'm not embarrassed...and you didn't make an ass of yourself. You made an ass of Portman...but we already knew he was," John said, leaning back on the cot also, propping himself up on his elbow; he faced Sara.

Sara laughed again, but stopped abruptly with a groan. She brought a hand up to rub her stomach.

"You gonna pat your head now?" John joked.

Sara whacked him weakly with the back of her hand from her position.

"You're not funny," she said, continuing to rub her stomach.

"Let me look at it," John said, swatting her hand away.

"No, really, I'm fine, John," Sara protested, fighting to keep here hand there.

"Shut up, wuss," John said, wrestling to keep Sara's hands out the way.

When John was finally able to trap Sara's hands, he reached for the hem of her shirts, where he paused. He looked at her face.

"Just do it," Sara sighed. "Watch the hands. Shirt doesn't go any higher than the ribs. Got it?"

"Come on, Sara. I'm not that shallow," John said, as Sara stared at the ceiling, yet again.

John slowly lifted Sara's hoodie and tank top until he could have a good look at her stomach where Portman punched her.

He ran his hand lightly over her ripped stomach (courtesy of the Marines) and Sara stiffened.

"Okay?" John asked.

Sara nodded and John pressed a little harder.

As he looked at her stomach, John noticed some slight bruising.

"Shit, Sara," he said quietly, furrowing his brows.

"What?" she asked, ripping her eyes away from the ceiling to look at John.

"It's bruising," he answered.

"Shit...badly?"

"No. It should be all right in a few days."

Even though John made his evaluation of damage, he still didn't remove or stop his hand movements on Sara's stomach.

The two stared at each other for a few moments.

Sara relaxed slightly, and she felt her heart start beating faster.

John stilled his hand on her stomach, and felt himself leaning towards her slowly.

Not only did Sara's heart beat faster, but her breathing increased also as John brought his face even closer to her own.

When they were an inch or two apart, Sara swallowed subtly and looked from John's eyes to his lips.

John did the same, and finally closed the gap between them in a soft kiss...the first they've shared.

A time later, John pulled back and looked down at Sara. She didn't move; she was barely breathing.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," John whispered.

Sara let out a breath and looked at John.

"You have no idea how long I've _waited_ for that," Sara whispered back.

John grinned and brought his hands to either side of Sara's face. He leaned back down to kiss her again.

Now that Sara's hands were free, she was able to put them on John's back.

The kiss turned out to be more passionate than the first.

John pulled back again in order for both of them to breathe.

They heard a noise outside of the room, and John practically jumped off of the cot. Sara lowered her shirts again.

Seconds later, there was a knock on the door.

"It's open," Sara called for the second time that day.

The door opened and Sarge struck his head through.

Sara sat up on the cot with a wince.

"How's your stomach?" Sarge asked, walking into the room.

"Guess you found out, huh?" Sara countered.

"Yeah. Destroyer explained most of it."

"Most of it? It was just a punch."

"It seems like everything started as soon as you and Portman met," Sarge stated.

"Oh, well, that was more of a warning more than anything," she defended.

Sarge's eyes shifted from Sara to John.

"It's true. It was a fair warning...to all of us," John said.

Sarge looked back to Sara.

"You never answered my question," he said, stepping towards Sara, who gulped.

"It's fine," she said, shortly. "Just a little sore."

"Lift up your shirt," Sarge ordered.

Sara didn't argue like she did with John; Sarge was her CO after all.

She hesitantly lifted up the edge of her shirts to let Sarge look at her gut.

Sarge reached a hand out to run it over the area.

Sara took a sharp intake of breath, and stiffened again.

"Hurt?" he asked, looking up at her.

She shook her head.

"Cold hand," she said, half lying.

Sarge gave a half grin, then pulled his hand away. As he took a step back, Sara relaxed again.

"It's bruising," he said.

"Yeah, found that out already," Sara stated, subtly looking at John.

"Hmm," Sarge mumbled. "Ice it, and get some rest. We need someone to keep Portman on his toes."

"Yes, sir," Sara said with false enthusiasm.

Sarge nodded curtly, looked to John, and left the room.

"Want ice?" John asked after he was sure Sarge was gone.

"Nah...I don't use ice for anything except drinks," Sara replied nonchalantly.

John nodded and started walking to the door.

"John, wait," Sara called.

He stopped and turned back towards her.

Sara reached for the set of keys that contained her room keys. She took one key off the ring and tossed it to John.

He caught it, looked at it, then back to Sara.

"Use it anytime I'm here," she said with a mischievous grin. "Just make sure no one else knows."

"Yeah, that would cause some trouble," John replied.

"Oh, and what time's wake up 'round here?" she asked as an after thought.

"5:30."

"Great," she mumbled.

John grinned at Sara, then left the room, closing the door behind him.

Sara sighed and carefully got off the cot. She went over to the door and looked it. Going back to her bag, she pulled out a pair of gray sweatpants and a black tank top (one of many). She changed, then dug back in her bag and pulled out a very old book from almost one hundred years ago...The Lord of the Rings.

Slowly easing herself back on the cot, she opened the book to where she left off and started reading.

Sara glanced at her watch a few hours later.

"Shit," she mumbled, rubbing her face; it was almost one in the morning.

She closed the book, still grumbling to herself, and made herself as comfortable as possible on the military cot. Minutes later, she was asleep.

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**A/N: **_MWAHAHAHAHA! How 'bout that little scene with Sara and John! I liked writing it...more to come!_  



	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **_I really, seriously wanted to get this out yesterday, but the site wasn't allowing me to upload any documents...something about too much traffic. Pfft, too much traffic? At 2 o'clock in the morning! Bloody hell!_

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_**Chapter 5:**** We Settle This Once and For All**_  
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_Sara was awoken by the beeping of her damn watch. She hit the button to shut it off and groaned, rubbing her eyes.

Carefully, she sat up on the cot, surprised that she felt no pain in her stomach from Portman's punch. She shrugged and moved to get off the cot. Picking out her Marine issued cargos and t-shirt, she picked up the set of keys and went on to the bathroom, on the other side of the room. Sara locked herself in and took a quick shower.

After showering, and getting dressed, Sara took her pajama clothes and shoved them in the foot locker.

Once everything was neat and tidy, she went to the door, putting her hair up at the same time, and opened it. Looking around, she noticed the guys were still sleeping.

Hearing footfalls on the stairs, she closed the door and stood in front of it.

Sarge appeared on the stairs, and stopped when he saw Sara. He looked at her with surprise, but that changed to admiration. With a slight nod, Sarge continued down the stairs. He flipped the lights on and woke up the guys in his own way.

Sara took the chair from John's desk and set it in front of her door, where she sat on it. She folded her arms over her chest and watched as the guys scrambled to get ready.

"How are you up already?" John asked Sara, while putting on a t-shirt.

His nicely sculpted torso didn't go unnoticed by Sara. She had to tear her eyes away before answering.

"I was waking up at five before coming here," she stated.

Once the guys were ready, everyone went up the stairs to the mess hall for breakfast.

Sara sat at the end of the table, next to John and across from Destroyer. Next to John was Goat, and next to him was Mac. Down the other side of the table, next to Destroyer, was Duke, then Portman, then Sarge.

They had received their breakfasts of some slop in a bowl.

"What the hell is this?" Sara asked out loud, but more to herself than anyone.

She stuck her spoon on the substance and lifted it, letting it fall back into the bowl. She gave it a disgusted look.

"Some people like to call it 'oatmeal,'" Duke said.

Sara looked up at him, still with a disgusted look and played with the 'oatmeal.'

"I don't think so. Oatmeal isn't this runny...this looks like Portman's brain," she grinned.

Destroyer, Duke, John, Goat, and Mac all grinned or sniggered.

Portman looked at Sara with a death glare.

Sarge's expression was unreadable.

"I thought we were past all of this," Sarge stated, more than asked.

"We are, sir. I'm just doing what you told me," Sara replied, shifting her attention to him, then looked back at the oatmeal.

"Just eat it. It won't kill you," John said quietly to her.

"Yeah, yeah," Sara mumbled and took a small bite.

After realizing it wasn't that bad (or going to kill her), Sara actually ate the oatmeal slop.

Once everyone was finished eating, Sarge led them out to the firing range...the one place Sara was comfortable.

Sara was the last to arrive on the range. She stopped and looked around. This was her version of heaven.

While she was gawking, Sarge walked up to her and handed her her new weapon.

From looking at the other guys' weapons, then back to hers, Sara could guess that her gun was a cross between John's and Duke's.

"Awwwwww, yeah," Sara said, as she held the gun.

"RRTS Special Ops clearance verified. Handle ID: Tex," a mechanical woman's voice came from the gun.

Sara grinned and started to walk to a spot where she could shoot.

Portman stepped in front of her, stopping Sara in her tracks.

"What now?" Sara asked with a sigh.

"We settle this once and for all," Portman demanded, resting his gun on his shoulder.

"A shooting contest? Are you fuckin' serious, Portman? I'd kick your ass from here to eternity," Sara said.

"I'll believe it when I see it," he sneered.

"Fine," Sara answered. "Lead on."

Portman and Sara walked over to the end of the row.

Duke noticed them first, and alerted the rest to what was going on. Duke, Destroyer, Mac, Goat, and John gathered around the two.

Sara loaded the gun, then turned to Portman.

"I get to shoot off a few rounds first. I've never held this before," she said...no, demanded.

"Fine. Half a clip."

Sara nodded, and let off half a clip toward the targets, purposely not hitting the actual target.

"Whoa," she mumbled, after firing.

Sara then turned to Portman.

"This is for all the marbles. After this, no more fighting, punching, name calling, et cetera. We become a team. Deal?" She said, loud enough for everyone to hear, and extended her hand to Portman.

"Yeah, deal," he said, shaking her hand.

"You're all witness to this. You heard and saw it," Sara said, turning to the other five.

They nodded, then Sara turned and nodded to Portman.

"How many rounds?" she asked.

"Ten?"

"Plenty."

Portman and Sara readied themselves to fire at the targets that were about one hundred feet away.

"Anyone care for a little betting action?" Duke asked the other four.

"Ten on Portman," Destroyer said after a few seconds.

"Yeah, me too," Mac added.

"Goat?" Duke asked.

"I don't bet," Goat replied, simply.

"Man, I'm sure God's done a little gambling in his time," Duke said, trying to get Goat to bet.

Goat turned to Duke and glared.

"I don't think so," Goat said.

"All right, all right," Duke said, defensively. "Reaper?"

There was a pause.

"Thirty...on Tex," he said, confidently.

Sara smiled to herself. John knew her well.

"Shit, man. Okay. I'll put fifteen on Tex," Duke said.

"All right. You go back and forth. One shot each time. Most in the bull's eye wins. Who's first?" Destroyer explained.

"Ladies first," Sara said with a smirk.

Portman growled, but went to take his first shot anyway.

He took his grand old time taking the shot, but when he did, he hit the center.

"Nice," Sara praised, seriously.

Portman stepped back, and Sara moved up to ready her shot.

In less than half the time Portman took, Sara shot the gun, hitting the target dead center. Sara smirked.

"Looks like she'll give you a run for your money," Goat said. "Literally."

Sara wasn't exactly sure who he was talking to, Portman or the two that bet against her, but she really didn't care.

The two went back and forth until they had their last shots. They were tied with nine bull's eyes each.

Portman set up to take his last shot. When he did shoot, he missed the bull's eye by mere millimeters.

Destroyer got a pair of binoculars out to confirm.

"Shit," Portman cursed, quietly.

"Awe, tough luck," Sara mumbled, as she got ready to take the shot.

She took a deep, and as she slowly released it, she pulled the trigger.

The bullet hit the bull's eye...dead on.

"Shit," Portman cursed again.

"They don't call me 'Tex' for nothing," Sara said.

"How'd you get _that_ good?" Duke asked her.

"Dunno. I guess it came naturally," she shrugged.

It seemed good enough for the guys.

Sara turned to Portman, and stuck her hand out.

"Nice shooting. Let me know if you ever want a rematch," she said.

Portman shook her hand.

"Yeah...don't expect any rematches any time soon, though," he replied.

Sara laughed and Portman went back to firing practice, along with the rest of the guys.

Sara put another clip in the gun. She went back to her shooting area and took a knee. She was about to empty the clip into the target, when she heard her nickname from somewhere behind her. Standing and turning, she saw Sarge motioning for her to come to him. She walked over to him, and he led them out of the range.

Stopping a few yards away, Sarge turned to Sara.

"Everything all right between you and Portman now?" he asked, looking directly at her.

"Yes, sir. Everything's all higglty-pigglty," she responded, showing no emotion.

Sarge raised an eyebrow at her choice of words.

"Er, yeah, everything's fine," she corrected, slightly worried because of his scrutinizing gaze.

"Good," he said, lowering the eyebrow, and taking a few steps closer to her.

Sara gulped, but didn't dare look away.

"I better get back to the range," she said, after being uncomfortable for long enough.

She took a few steps backwards, then turned and hurried back to the range. She missed the smirk that appeared on Sarge's face.

Coming back on the range, Goat noticed the uneasy look that crossed Sara's features. He followed her over to where she was going to shoot.

Sara kneeled down, hung her head, closed her eyes, and took deep breaths.

Goat took a knee next to her, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You okay?" he asked her.

Sara's eyes opened, and she lifted her head.

"Yeah...just a little edgy, I guess," she replied.

Goat looked at her skeptically, but nodded.

"Find me if you ever need help," he said.

"I will."

Goat patted her shoulder, and went back to his firing station.

Sara picked up her gun, and continued training.

A few hours passed, and it was lunch time; the only break the team had since breakfast.

John and Sara were the last to walk off of the range.

"You owe me," Sara said to him.

"For what?"

"For winning you some money."

"Hmm...guess I do. I'll buy you a drink on of these days," John then lowered his voice. "I'll give you something else later."

Sara raised a questioning eyebrow, then smirked.

"Goat said you seemed troubled when you came back on the range," John said, still quietly after a few beats.

"I'll tell you later," she said through gritted teeth, dropping the smirk, and shooting death glares at Sarge's back.

"It has something to do with Sarge, doesn't it?" John pressed, still in hushed tones.

Sara snapped her head in his direction.

"I said I'll tell you later."

John nodded, and they continued walking into the mess hall for food.

Sara wasn't as animated as she normally was. All the guys (minus Sarge) were worried about her...even Portman.

* * *

**A/N:**_ Eww...creepy Sarge there..._

_Just because the site was being stupid, I'll try to get another one out later today/tonight. Be happy!_

_Oh, and these'll probably be getting longer...like this one. I didn't realize the previous ones were so short.  
_


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **_Woo! Here's another, but it's raining, so my computer is really slow...why does this hate me?_

_

* * *

_ **Chapter 6:**** Obstacles  
**

* * *

About an hour after lunch, the team headed out to the obstacle course. 

Sarge split them into two teams: one consisted of John, Mac, Portman, and Duke, while the other was made of Destroyer, Goat, Sara, and (to Sara's disappointment) Sarge.

One team started at the beginning of the course, while the other started at another point about halfway through.

On Sara's team, Sarge made Goat go first, the Destroyer, then her. Sarge, himself, would bring up the rear. Destroyer and Goat didn't look too happy about leaving Sara with Sarge, but they knew better than to say anything.

Sarge blew a whistle, signaling the first person to go.

Sara tried to keep all her focus on the course, but Sarge's ever constant presence behind her was disturbing.

As soon as she saw Destroyer get to the next point, Sara took off on the course and didn't slow down. She felt she needed to put as much space between her and Sarge as possible.

Sara finished the course with Sarge only a few yards behind her.

"Damn, you're quick," Sarge said to Sara, once he finished.

He slapped his hand lightly on her back, but kept his hand there longer than necessary.

Sara shrugged his hand away, and took a giant step away from him.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sara saw Goat and Destroyer exchange a look.

Sarge looked at her a moment longer, then looked towards the other group.

"All right, men. Again," he ordered and blew the whistle.

Again, Sara was left behind with Sarge.

When it was Sara's turn to go through the course, she went even faster than the last time, and almost caught up to Destroyer.

Sara finished slightly out of breath, but she was okay. She stood near Goat, who looked at her questioningly.

"Stay near me. Sarge is freaking me out right now," she whispered, panting ever so slightly. "And don't tell anyone."

Goat nodded.

After Sarge, and everyone else, finished the course, Sarge called the other four over.

Sarge sent them all out on a run until it was time for dinner, which wasn't too long from then.

Before they headed out, Sara nodded to Goat, who knew what she meant. She then approached John, and tugged on his elbow lightly.

"Stay near me," she said quietly to him.

John nodded and Goat walked up to them.

The team started their run. Sarge led, followed by Portman and Mac. Behind them was John, Sara, and Goat; Sara ran in between the two guys. After the group of three was Duke and Destroyer, who brought up the rear.

Sara still wasn't feeling all that safe, but she kept her focus on her running, listening to the soundtrack in her head.

After the team's run, and the time it took for them to catch their breaths, they went to the mess hall for dinner.

Dinner was just as quiet as lunch; Sara wasn't complaining about the food or ragging on Portman.

John knew something HAD to be wrong. It seemed Goat knew something that he didn't.

Once dinner was done, everyone retreated to their sleeping areas to relax until lights out.

Sara practically jumped down the stairs, and swiftly walked to her room. She kept the door open, and went into her bag to pull out a tennis ball.

Sara moved to the center of the room and threw the ball against the wall. She continued to throw the ball until her anger and disappointment in herself rose to the surface. When those emotions rose, she threw the ball as hard as she could a couple of times. On the last throw, she threw it with all her might, and dodged out of the way, so she didn't hit herself in the face. The ball bounced off the wall behind her, and continued bouncing on the floor and out of the door into the guys' sleeping quarters.

"A little help, please," she called hoarsely.

A few seconds later, the ball came bouncing back into the room.

Sara went to the get the tennis ball, then went to the door.

"Thank you," she said, closing the door and locking it.

Sighing, Sara threw the ball some more. About a half hour passed by the time she stopped.

Changing her clothes, she took out her book and rested on the cot.

She read for a long time; the hours just passed by.

She looked at her watch after a while. The time read 0:47 (or 12:47 AM for you non-military folks).

There was a shuffling outside her door, and moments later the lock turned.

Sara's heart started beating faster. God only knew what she would have done if Sarge walked in.

The door slowly opened, and John poked his head in.

Sara's heart rate slowed, and she sighed, still not putting her book down.

John opened the door wider and walked through; he was wearing a gray t-shirt and a pair of black basketball-style shorts. He looked back in the other room before closing the door completely.

Sara's facial expression didn't change as John walked over to the cot and sat on the edge.

"_Lord of the Rings_, huh?" he inquired, pointing at the book Sara was holding.

"Yup," she replied with no emotion.

"I read that once...long ago. I always liked Eomer," he said, trying to make conversation.

Sara closed the book and tossed it to the floor.

"Why are you in here, John?" she asked, testily.

John sighed.

"I'm...I'm worries about you, Sara. At lunch and dinner, your spunk seemed to disappear. You weren't even picking on Portman. What the hell's wrong?" he asked, getting irritated.

Sara didn't answer. She looked down at her knees.

"Damn it, Sara! I want to help you, but I can't unless you tell me what the fuck is wrong," John's voice was rising.

Sara got off the cot and picked up the tennis ball again. She threw it against the opposite wall she tossed it against before.

"It's nothing," she finally said, throwing the ball.

"You don't go silent over nothing," John pointed out getting off the cot and walking over to Sara.

Sara continued throwing, but started throwing the ball harder.

John was fed up. The next time Sara threw the ball, he shot his arm out and caught it before she could. He dropped the ball on the floor, and it went bouncing underneath the cot. He stood in front of Sara, who looked down.

"Is it Sarge?" John asked with compassion.

She rose her head and looked John in his eyes.

"Yes," she said quietly, just above a whisper.

John sighed again, and looked down momentarily.

"God, Sara..."

"I don't know what to do, John. I can't leave, and I can't kick his ass...he's my CO for god's sake! I-I just..." she stuttered with a sob. She then broke down, crying.

For as long as the two had been friends, Sara never cried in front of John, and the situation had to be really awful for her to do that. It worried John.

John stepped closer to Sara and ran his hands up and down her arms.

Sara hung her head, and when she did, she hit John's chest. She let it rest there.

When she dropped her head, John wrapped his arms tightly around her back and rubbed it. Sara took her arms and also wrapped them around John's back.

As Sara continued to cry, John rested his chin on her shoulder, nuzzling her neck slightly.

Many minutes later, Sara's crying subsided and was minimized to hiccups.

John pulled back and led Sara back to the cot, where they sat on the edge. John continued to rub Sara's back as she hiccupped.

"You want water or something?" John offered.

Sara shook her head and held her breath. When she released the breath, her hiccups were gone.

"I'm sorry...the whole situation was bothering me," Sara said, quietly.

"I must seem weak now. Some Marine I am," she added with a forced laugh.

"You're not weak. You're human...and a chick at that," John joked.

Sara punched him in the arm, then flopped back on the cot.

"You'll have to help me think of something to show that I'm not going to take his shit," Sara sighed.

"We'll think of something," he paused. "Does anyone else know he's been hitting on you?"

"Goat, but that's it. The others might suspect something, though," she explained.

John nodded and leaned over her. He brought his head down and captured her lips in a breath-taking kiss. Sara put her arms around him, pulling him closer. John slid an arm beneath her neck and his other under her lower back.

John pulled back after a several moments in order for both of them to breathe.

"Will you do me a favor, John?" Sara asked, trying to get her breath back.

"What?"

"Whenever you're around them..." she nodded in the direction of the others. "Continue being the emotionless, hard-ass you were."

John chuckled slightly.

"Will do."

Sara grinned and John went back to kissing her, but Sara made him pause.

"One more thing...is this payback for winning you some money?" she asked.

"Part of it. When you're not so shook up, you'll get more," he replied, seductively.

Sara smirked, satisfied with his answer and pulled him down for another kiss.

Moments later, Sara shifted her legs and grunted, causing John to pull back again.

"What now?" he asked.

"My legs are going numb."

They both looked to her legs and saw they were still hanging over the edge.

John looked back at the Sara, then crawled off of her. He got off the cot, and Sara looked at him strangely.

"What're you doing?" she asked.

She was rewarded with a grin, and he swiftly grabbed her ankles.

Sara squeaked briefly, but was quieted by a laughing 'shh' from John.

John set her feet on the cot and crawled back on next to her. He laid on his stomach, turning his head to Sara.

Sara laid on her side, and propped her head up on the elbow. She used her free hand and ran it through John's short hair, down his neck, and let it rest on his back, below his shoulder blades.

"What time are you waking up? Five?" John asked, groggily. His eyes started to droop closed.

"Yeah. Five. Sarge comes down at exactly five thirty," she smiled, and moved her fingers lightly, slowly on his back.

"Then wake me up when you do, so I can get back out there," he mumbled, clearly enjoying Sara's ministrations.

"I will," she replied, removing her hand from his back to herself comfortable to sleep.

John groaned.

"Why'd you stop?" he asked, opening an eye.

"I can't sleep that way," she said, laying her head near John's.

He nodded slightly in response, and closed his eye again.

Lazily, John slung his arm over Sara's waist and pulled her closer to him, as he rolled to his side to face her.

Sara scooted closer to him and curled up against him, resting her head under his chin. John then rested his leg over hers, and pulled her even closer.

Within minutes, both of them were asleep.

* * *

**A/N: **_Aww..._

_Anyone get the Lord of the Rings reference? Please tell me you do, tis a shame if you don't..._


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **_Okay, how sad is this: for the past 2 days I woke up at 8 AM to watch Xena, just because Karl Urban was in those 2 episodes. Then after they the show was over, I went back to sleep...pathetic, right?...But he does look good half naked :P  
_

_

* * *

_**Chapter 7:** **A Proposition**

* * *

John was startled awake by a beeping noise right in his ear. He jerked his head away from the noise and opened his eyes slowly. Picking his head up, he looked back down to what the beeping was and where it was coming from. He smirked as he realized it was Sara's watch, indicating it was five o'clock. Putting his head back down on the pillow, he continued smirking as he moved Sara's arm away from his ear. 

Sara twitched at the sound of her watch alarm going off. She groaned and opened her eyes, startled slightly by John looking at her and smirking.

"Mornin'," John said, slightly groggy.

"Morning," Sara replied in a first-thing-in-the-morning-man-voice, and hit the button to shut off the watch alarm.

John tilted his head towards Sara and kissed her deeply.

"I could get used to this," John stated quietly, after he pulled back.

"Mmm...me, too," Sara grinned. "But you better get back out there."

"Yeah," John whispered, tossing his arm over Sara and burying his head in the crook of her neck.

"Seriously, John. We could get in trouble...then we're screwed."

John raised his head and looked down at Sara with a smirk, while raising an eyebrow.

"I didn't mean it _that_ way," Sara corrected.

"You will one of these days," John said, giving her another kiss, then with a groan, crawled off of the cot.

"See you soon," he called back, as he unlocked the door.

Sara nodded as she sat up and got off the cot.

John left the room, closing the door silently behind him.

Sara rubbed the sleep from her eyes with the back of her hand, then moved around the room, gathering clothes, and getting ready for the day.

She did her morning routine, and opened the door to her room.

Just as she closed it behind her, Sarge came down the stairs to wake up the guys.

Sarge smirked and nodded to Sara, who didn't respond; she just stared.

After the guys were woken up, Sarge went back up the stairs.

Sara waited for all of them before they decided to head up the stairs for breakfast. Sara stayed close to John and Goat.

"Better today?" Goat asked Sara as they walked to the mess hall.

"Yeah, much...still a little edgy, though," she explained.

Goat nodded and they all sat down to eat breakfast. They had oatmeal again.

"Mmm, Portman's brain again," Sara joked, earning a few chuckles around her.

She glanced down the table to Portman and saw a half smirk on his face, as he continued to look at the slop. That made Sara a bit happier.

After breakfast, Sarge gathered the team in the gym, where wrestling mats were placed in various places on the floor.

"All right, men. Hand to hand combat," Sarge announced.

Sara's eyes widened and she elbowed John in the ribs, discreetly.

John shook his head. "He'll kill you."

"No he won't. He's hitting on me, so he won't want to hurt me...I can handle him," Sara reasoned.

"Your funeral," John muttered.

"Reaper, Tex. Something wrong?" Sarge asked.

"No, sir," John answered.

"Good. Mac and Destroyer, pair up. Duke, you and Portman. Goat and Reaper. Tex, you're with me," Sarge said, pairing everyone up.

"Sweet," Sara mumbled, grinning inwardly.

John shot her a concerned look before he walked off with Goat to a nearby mat.

The other two pairs moved off also, and Sara was left with Sarge.

"Right, I got a bone to pick with you...more of a proposition," Sara said.

"Oh, yeah? What's that?" Sarge asked, stepping closer to her.

Sara held a hand up in front of her, stopping Sarge as he ran his chest into her hand.

Sara raised an eyebrow.

"Look, this is really pissing me off. If I kick your ass in this hand to hand combat thing, you quit advancing on me," Sara said, defiantly.

"And if you loose?"

"I don't plan on loosing," she answered through gritted teeth.

"Deal," Sarge said, holding out his hand.

Sara shook his hand, and waited for Sarge to do something.

As she sort of predicted, Sarge tried to flip her without releasing her hand.

Sara easily landed on her feet nearby.

"You'll have to do better than that," Sara said, crouching and waiting.

Sarge took a few steps towards her.

Sara grinned up at him and spun her leg out, just like she did to Portman. She hit the back of his ankles, but he didn't go down. Sara spun again, this time aiming for the back of his knees. That time, he fell forward to his knees.

Slamming his hands on the mat, Sara hopped to her feet, and took advantage of Sarge's positioning.

Sara kicked him in the gut...not very hard, just enough to knock the wind out of him. She then nudged him with her foot, and Sarge fell on his back with a grunt, panting, trying to get his breath back.

Sara took three steps, and was standing right beside Sarge.

She took her chance and sat on his stomach, where she kicked him.

"Give up?" Sara asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Sarge grunted in response.

"Sorry, what was that?" Sara asked, sarcastically, putting her hand to her ear.

"I said 'no'," he groaned.

Sara raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

Sarge brought his knee up, hitting Sara's side. It knocked her off balance enough to send her diving over his head, where she rolled to her feet. Sarge clambered up to his feet, and the two circled each other.

Both of them were so focused on the other, they didn't realize the other six guys were watching them.

Sarge made the first move again. He tried to pull off Sara's kicked-out leg spin move, but Sara was too quick. She jumped over his leg, and with her quick movements, she kicked Sarge in the back. She successfully knocked him off balance and sent him sprawling on his stomach.

Sara quickly sat on his back, and at the same time, grabbed his right arm, holding it behind his back. She put most of her weight on his arm to keep him from going anywhere.

"Give in now?" she asked, panting slightly.

"Yes," he growled.

"Good," Sara breathed, getting off of Sarge.

Sarge rolled onto his back, and Sara held out a hand to help him up. She had to use all her strength to get him up, but she did.

"Remember our deal," she said before stepping back a few steps.

Things between everyone in the team only got better from there...and the guys had more respect for Sara because she kicked Sarge's ass.

Later that night, Sara crawled under her cot to retrieve the tennis ball. She threw it against the wall for a while. As she threw it, the door opened, and John came in.

He leaned against the door as he locked it, then marched over to Sara. He took the tennis ball out of her hand and let it drop to the floor, not caring where it went.

Sara gave John a strange, confused look.

"What...?" she started to ask, but was cut off by John wrapping his arms tightly around her and kissing her passionately.

Sara was surprised to say the least.

John maneuvered them so Sara was sandwiched between the far wall and his body. His lips left hers and traveled to her neck.

As much as Sara was enjoying where John was taking them, she felt that RRTS headquarters wasn't the place for it to happen.

"John..." she started, but paused when he kissed her jaw, by her ear.

Sara shook her head to get back to her senses, and freed her arms to lift John's head.

John looked directly into her eyes, and tilted his head to the side slightly.

"John, as much as I'd like for this to go further, I-I don't think headquarters is the right place," Sara started out with a strong voice, but finished in a whisper.

She looked at John sadly and apologetically.

John rested his forehead against Sara's.

"Good point," he said, quietly, giving her another kiss on the lips.

John picked Sara up and carried her over to the cot, where he gently set her down. He laid next to her.

"I'm sorry. Didn't mean to ruin the mood, but...it just didn't seem right," Sara apologized, quietly.

John shook his head.

"It's okay. It's understandable...and you're right. God knows what could happen," he said, placing a hand on the side of Sara's head.

"Next time we have leave, we'll go somewhere quiet," Sara suggested.

"Yeah, sure," John grinned, leaning over and kissing Sara again.

"So...what brought that on anyway?" Sara asked, after a few minutes.

"The way you kicked Sarge's ass earlier today. That was hot," he replied, while continuing to grin.

Sara laughed. "Yeah...felt good to do it, too. He won't be hitting on me anymore. We made a deal."

"Good," John said, and pulled her closer to him.

Not long after, they fell asleep.

The two continued this 'sleeping ritual' every night; John would come into Sara's room when the rest of the guys fell asleep, and would out at five.

* * *

Six months had passed since Sara joined RRTS. 

Over those six months, the team of RRTS 6 Special Ops became one of the closest RRTS teams.

Sara and John had become even closer in their relationship, and the two were looking forward to a "relaxing" weekend in a cabin in the mountains when they had leave.

They had to wait a week, though, but they loved their jobs, so it was no problem.

One day during the week before, the team (minus Sarge) was hanging out in the sleeping quarters before dinner.

Most of the guys were trying to take a cat nap before eating. Four of them were not sleeping, however: Duke was absorbed in his latest video game, Goat was re-reading his Bible, John was sitting at the desk cleaning his weapon, and Sara was sitting in the chair next to the desk with her feet propped up on it.

"That's the second time you've cleaned and inspected that thing today...and you haven't even used it," Sara stated quietly, with a smirk.

"Well, it's better than having it jam the next time I do use it. Better safe, then sorry," John replied.

"Wow, have we gone back in time to the 1990's? I could have sworn we were in the 2040's," Sara said, smartly.

John set the gun down, and looked at Sara. Grinning slowly, he reached over and poked Sara in her side.

Sara jumped in the chair, then slapped John's shoulder.

"Jerk," she said.

John stuck out his tongue quickly.

"Yeah, okay are we kids here, now?" Sara asked, taking her feet off the desk, and resting her elbows on her knees.

John rolled his eyes that time.

"Yeah, we're children here," Sara said, then lowered her voice to a whisper. "What'd I tell you about being a hard-ass?"

"To be one when we're not alone," he droned, quietly, copying Sara's position.

"That's right. Good boy," she said like she would to a dog, and patted him on the head.

John looked behind him to make sure whoever was still sleeping was sleeping, and Duke and Goat's attentions were somewhere else.

When he was satisfied, he turned back to Sara and quickly kissed her.

Sara punched his shoulder that time.

"What the hell did I just say?" she said, trying very hard not to smile.

"I couldn't help it. It needed to be done," he smirked, with a shrug.

"Whatever," Sara grinned.

Just as Sara was sitting back in the chair again, Sarge came down the stairs, followed by some kid.

* * *

**A/N: **_All right, here's the deal: I have an ice hockey tournament this weekend (starting tonight), so I won't be able to update until Sunday night or Monday._

_And here's the bribe: if I get some reviews, I might just might post more than one..._


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **_And...I'm back, with an update! Huzzah! (clears throat)_

_Anywho, this is where the movie picks up..._

* * *

**Chapter 8: New Kid In Town**

* * *

"Listen up, men,"Sarge called, starling the four who were sleeping, awake.

The team stood at attention in front of their cots; Sara was by her door.

"We have a new member to the team," Sarge started, slapping the newbie on the back. "Introduce yourselves, and be in the mess hall in ten."

Sarge then traveled back up the stairs.

"Am I not good enough? He had to bring in a kid?" Sara mumbled, earning a smirk from Duke, who was closest to her (aside from John).

"Goat."

"Destroyer."

"Duke."

"Mac."

"Portman."

"Reaper."

"Tex."

There was a pause for a few seconds.

"Should I give him 'the talk'?"Sara asked the guys, crossing her arms over her chest, and leaning against her door.

"What 'talk'?" Mac asked.

"Ask Portman if you don't remember...or better yet, wanna ask Sarge?" Sara stated.

Just about all the guys let out a collective 'ohhh'.

"Maybe you should...just don't kill him like you almost did the other two," Goat said, smirking.

Sara nodded, and walked up to the new kid, who looked to be in his early twenties.

She walked to his left side, and with her quick movements, put him in a headlock while holding his right arm behind his back.

The kid grunted.

"All right, here's the deal: you don't hit on me and you get to keep the family jewels. Got it?" Sara asked.

"Y-Yeah, won't even t-think about it," he stuttered, as he groaned slightly.

"Good," Sara smiled, and let go of him. "You'll be all right, kid."

She patted his shoulder before she walked back to sit in the chair she was in before the kid and Sarge came down the stairs.

"And don't forget it or you'll have the rest of us on your ass," Destroyer added.

The team had become protective of Sara, looking out for her wherever they could. She insisted she didn't need the 'extra protection', but there wasn't much she could do about it.

The team sat around until it was time for dinner. John picked up his weapon to continue cleaning it. Before he could even get it off the desk, Sara had her hand on it.

"Give it a rest, John...at least for today," she practically pleaded.

"Here, here," Duke said, playing his game again. "You tell him, girl."

Sara looked back at John and raised an eyebrow.

"Fine," John sighed.

She smirked in triumph, and sent a subtle thumbs up to Duke.

A few minutes later, the team went up the stairs for dinner.

Sara and John were the last two to leave behind the kid; Sara walked behind John. As they went up the stairs, Sara felt the sudden urge to be evil, so she smacked John's ass.

John turned his head, while still going up the stairs, and gave Sara a look.

At the top of the stairs, he walked next to her.

"What was that for?" he whispered near her ear.

"I couldn't help it. It needed to be done," she whispered back, using the same line he did minutes before.

She smirked at him as they reached the table and took their seats.

The kid looked unsure where to sit, so Sara gladly moved closer to John so the kid could sit on the end, next to her.

He probably would have been squished on the other side, anyway; Sarge's large upper body, plus Duke, Portman, and Destroyer would give the kid about a square foot of room...if he was lucky.

Sara didn't need that much room, and the other three didn't mind sharing space, either.

When they got their food, the kid looked at his plate with disgust.

"What is this?" he asked, quietly.

"That sounds familiar," Destroyer mumbled.

Sara gave him a look, then leaned towards the kid slightly.

"It's not all that bad...just wait 'till breakfast. We get Portman's brain," she said, ending with wide eyes.

"It's just oatmeal," Duke said, easing the kid's nerves.

"Believe what you want..." Sara mumbled.

While Sara was occupied with explaining her idea of the meals to the kid, John snuck his hand under the table, and rested it on Sara's thigh.

Sara jumped slightly, but she was talented enough to turn the jump into a stretch. She gave John a look out of the corner of her eye, but he still didn't remove his hand. Sara didn't mind really, but you never know who could drop something and look under the table.

After dinner, the team went back downstairs and got ready for sleep.

Sara went in her room and threw the tennis ball against the wall, which she made part of her daily routine.

The week passed by quickly.

Sara, over the months, had thought of Goat as another uncle. Over the week the kid had been around, she thought of him as a younger brother; someone to look out for...besides John.

The team was sitting around, waiting for the transports for their leave.

Sara was bouncing the tennis ball off the wall next to John's desk where John was cleaning his gun.

"You know what, _Reaper_?" Sara asked, stressing his nickname.

"What _Tex_?" he replied, also stressing her nickname.

"I think that Sarge should take that thing and lock it up, just so you have a gun when you come back from leave," Sara stated.

John shrugged and went back to inspecting his weapon. Sara scoffed, rolling her eyes.

The rest of the team was scattered around the room: Destroyer was hitting fruit with a baseball bat, Mac was pitching the fruit, Duke was playing his video game, Goat was reading his Bible, Kid (as the team started calling him) was mopping near his cot, and Portman was pacing and mumbling. There was some music playing in the background, also.

Everyone on the team was wearing their civilian clothes, ready for leave.

Sara was wearing a pair of form-fitting jeans and a navy blue zip-up hoodie over a gray tank top.

Sara soon got tired of tossing the tennis ball and took up her normal seat next to John's desk.

"You ready for this weekend?" she asked John, quietly.

John actually stopped inspecting the gun, set it down on the desk, and turned to Sara.

"I've been ready...you should have known that since you suggested it," he smirked.

Sara smirked back.

"Can't wait," she said, biting her lower lip.

Sara heard Duke mumbling something to his game as Mac threw another fruit that Destroyer hit. The fruit hit the locker next to Duke.

"I don't believe this shit. Six months without a weekend the damn transporters are five minutes late. And that's five minutes R and R I ain't never gonna get back," Portman complained, hitting his watch on the metal of his cot.

Sara rolled her eyes...for two reasons: Portman's; whining and the loud, tropical shirt he was wearing.

"Relax, baby. We're on vacation," Duke grinned, looking up from his game momentarily.

Portman grinned back.

Duke whooped because of something in his game.

"Yo. This game's layered, man," he said to Destroyer.

Mac pitched another fruit that Destroyer hit, sending it against Duke's locker again, knocking over a lamp.

Duke just grinned at Destroyer, shaking his head.

"Where you going, Portman?" Destroyer asked, referring to leave.

"I'm going down to El Honto and I'm gonna lock myself in a hotel room with a bottle of tequila and three she-boys," he replied, with a crazy laugh.

"Eww," Sara mumbled, making a face.

John turned his head slightly to smirk at her.

"You're sick, man," Duke said.

Mac pitched yet another fruit that Destroyer hit in Goat's direction.

Without so much as a flinch, Goat caught the fruit. Setting his Bible down on his knee, he looked up at Portman.

"I'm sick of your filth, Portman."

"He speaks," Portman mumbled.

"What about you, Tex? Where're you going?" Duke asked.

"The mountains. That's all you need to know," she smirked.

"All right...so what's it gonna be, Reaps? An armed conflict someplace quiet?" Duke went on.

"Yeah, a little relaxing jungle warfare?" Portman teased.

"Or maybe you're just going to stay right here. Spend your time doing push-ups," Duke also teased.

John didn't get to answer because at that moment, Sarge came down the stairs.

"Listen up, men," he said, getting everyone's attention. "Leave is canceled."

"Great," Sara said, quietly, with a sigh.

Goat turned off the music.

"Oh, man. I just don't believe this shit. Fuck!" Duke said, putting the game away, standing, and getting his dog tags from where they hung on the locker.

"Got a problem with that, Duke?" Sarge asked.

"Me, Sarge? Hell, no, I love my job," Duke replied, but not very enthusiastically.

"What's up, Sarge?" Destroyer asked, changing the subject.

Sarge shifted his attention.

"We got us a game," he replied, then looked to Kid. "Kid! Son, you are now in the Rapid Response Tactical Squad, the double RTS."

Kid put his magazine down and stood at attention next to his cot. When Kid had put the mop away and read a magazine, Sara didn't know.

She smiled at him.

"Fall in," Sarge continued, talking to everyone.

Everyone went to the stairs to go get ready.

As Sara stood from the chair, she placed her hand on John's shoulder.

"I guess the mountains'll have to wait," she whispered, sadly.

John nodded, and Sara followed Portman up the stairs.

"All dressed up and nowhere to go, huh, Portman?" Duke called over his shoulder.

Sarge looked down at Portman's white loafers, and shook his head.

"Nice, right?" Sara asked Sarge sarcastically, as she passed him on the stairs.

* * *

**A/N: **_I'll try to have another one out either later tonight or tomorrow._

_Ifanyone wants to know (or care) my team and I got second place in our tournament...not bad. At least we got medals..._


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **_Woo! Look at me update!_

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 9:**** The Mission**

_

* * *

_The team made their way to the locker roomminus Sarge and John.

In the locker room, Sara went over to her locker in a secluded part of the room. She pulled out the dark green jumpsuit the team wore for missions, and a pair of shorts.

Sara always wore a tank top and shorts under her mission gear...it made her feel more comfortable.

She quickly changed out of her jeans and into the shorts, then jumped into the jumpsuit.

Slipping her boots on (without tying them), she grabbed her utility belt, Kevlar vest, fingerless gloves, and elbow and knee pads out of her locker.

She walked around the corner to join the rest of the team, and sat on the end of the bench. She expected to come shoulder to shoulder with John, but he wasn't there.

Sara looked at Sarge as he walked into the room.

"What? No J...uh, Reaper?" she asked, buckling the utility belt.

"Not this time. Matters are a little...personal," he replied, quietly to her.

Sara nodded as she bent over to tie her boots, then slipped on the Kevlar vest with a sigh.

Sarge explained to the team that they were going through the Ark to Olduvai.

Once the team was dressed for their mission, Sarge led them out to the helicopter.

Sara followed Destroyer out, not as excited as she would normally be for other missions.

"Great vacation. Damn, they go quick," Duke said, sarcastically.

"Almost like we've never been away," Destroyer answered.

"If only it actually happened," Sara mumbled.

On the landing pad, Sarge got the go ahead from the safety guys, and the team got in the chopper.

In the chopper, everyone went to their weapon, and turned it on.

Sara heard all the weapons.

Destroyer pulled his down and kissed it.

"RRTS Special Ops clearance verified. Handle ID: Destroyer," came the mechanical woman's voice from the weapon.

"Daddy's home," he said.

More weapons were talking.

"Handle ID: Mac."

"Handle ID: Portman."

"Handle ID: Goat."

"Handle ID: The Kid."

Kid looked down at his guns.

"The Kid?" he questioned the guns, as if they would answer back.

"Handle ID: Duke," the weapons continued.

"Say my name, baby," Duke said to the weapon.

Sara went straight across from the entrance to the chopper, to her weapon. Turning the weapon on, she heard the electronic voice.

"RRTS Special Ops clearance verified. Handle ID: Tex."

Sara grinned sadly at the gun, as she sat down with a sigh.

Sarge came on the chopper and went over to his own weapon, across from where John would normally be, next to Sara.

"RRTS Special Ops clearance verified. Handle ID: Sarge."

"I can't believe we're going through the Ark," Sara heard Kid say.

"Don't worry, Kid. You're gonna love it," Duke replied, reclining where he sat.

"All set?" Sarge asked, his hand on the door, ready to close it.

"Yes, sir," the team replied.

Sarge was about to close the door, when a hand covered his, and John stepped into the chopper. He looked at Sarge for a moment, then took his seat next to Sara, who gave him a quick smile.

John put a clip in his gun, and turned it on.

"RRTS Special Ops clearance verified. Handle ID: Reaper."

Sarge told the pilot they were ready and they took off.

After take off, Portman unwound his comm.

"You know, Kid, it's funny. A couple of days ago I asked Sarge for a little pussy. The next day he brought you onto the team," Portman grinned.

"Don't give me an excuse, Portman. No one here will miss you," John said, seriously.

"Just ignore him, Kid. It always works for me," Sara said to Kid through the comm. She leaned forward and looked down the row at him, making sure he heard.

Kid made eye contact with her, and nodded.

"Men, look in," Sarge said, walking to the other end of the chopper to a screen. "This is what we got from Simcon. We have a quarantine situation on Olduvai. They sent this message when the research team stopped responding to all communications."

Sara searched her pockets for some gum, while Sarge played the mayday message. Not finding any in her cargo pockets, she checked her utility belt. Nothing there, so she patted down her vest.

"Damn it," she cursed quietly, giving up her search.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw John dig through a pocket. He pulled out a pack of gum and nudged her.

Sara looked at John, then down to the gum. She smiled, taking a piece.

"You're my hero," she said, quietly.

John grinned shortly.

The transmission ended, and Sarge started talking again.

"UAC has shut down the lab, men. We need to go up there, locate the team, eliminate the threat, and secure the facility."

"What threat?" Kid asked.

"It goes like this, see: if it's trying to kill you, it's a threat," Duke explained.

Sarge rubbed Kid's head as he made his way back to his seat.

Sara went into her meditation state that she goes into before a mission, where she set her gun on her lap, and her hands lightly rested on it. She rested her head against the wall of the chopper, and closed her eyes.

A while later, Sarge and John started a conversation. Sara listened in, but didn't move or let on that she was listening.

"How long's it been?" Sarge asked.

"Ten years," John answered.

Sara could feel that she raised an eyebrow, but didn't mean to.

"Sure she's even still up there?" Sarge went on.

"Yeah," John practically whispered.

There was a pause.

"Guess you gotta face your demon sometime," John continued.

The lights in the chopper turned red, and an alarm went off, signaling they were very close to their destination.

Sara opened her eyes and picked up her gun. She cracked her gum and looked at Sarge and John quickly.

Sarge hit John's arm before he leaned back.

"Look alive, men. Game time," Sarge announced.

As the chopper set down, the team assembled at the door.

When the door opened and the ramp lowered, John was the first one out, followed by Portman. They made sure everything was clear.

Sara jumped out next, then Destroyer, Mac, Duke, Goat, and Kid. Sarge jumped out last and led the team on.

Sarge called the team to a halt at the edge of the landing area for the chopper, where they waited for the UAC elevator.

When the elevator rose, and opened, Sarge moved the team in. John and Portman stood just outside the elevator, while everyone else went in.

Sara went to the back and stood under the UAC logo. Duke was on her left and Goat to her right.

Kid was the last one in the elevator (besides John and Portman). When he did get in, John and Portman followed, as Sarge turned to Kid.

"You hesitate, people die," he said.

Kid nodded shortly, then Sarge hit the down button to the elevator.

When the elevator stopped and the door opened, Sarge, once again, led the team out into the UAC Ark facility.

A thin guy in a gray jumpsuit, with glasses and a receding hairline approached them.

"Sanford Crosby, UAC public relations," he introduced himself, sticking his hand out to Sarge, who didn't take it.

'How polite...' Sara thought.

"Now, follow me, please," Sanford said, as he led the team through the facility to the Ark.

"How many people you got up there?" John asked, as they walked down the hallway.

Sara cracked her gum one last time before spitting it into a passing garbage can.

"UAC employs 85 permanent research staff on Olduvai," Sanford explained, then stopped at the opening to the Ark.

"Welcome to the Ark, gentlemen..." he then noticed Sara. "And la..."

"Don't say it," Sara interrupted, holding up a hand. "I'm used to it."

"Keep your distance from the core or you might get sucked in," Sanford warned as the team continued on to the Ark platform; they made a semi-circle.

'Isn't that the point?' Sara thought.

As Sara passed John to stand next to him, she subtly slid her hand across his back.

Sara and John took their jobs very seriously, but every once in a while, on missions, they would give each other a simple touch or nudge, just to keep each other sane.

Sara moved in between John and Mac, and took a sideways glance at John, who did the same.

"As soon as we get through, I need you to shut down the surface elevator here. Make sure that we get the standard quarantine of six hours," Sarge instructed to Sanford.

Sanford gave Sarge a curt nod.

"Ready to proceed," Sanford said.

Sarge looked to John as a silver blob emerged from the center of the Ark, and their semi-circle.

John clutched his gun to his chest as he slowly walked up to the blob.

An electronic voice counted down from fifteen. When it reached one, John was sucked into the blob, and sent to Mars.

The rest of the team followed. Destroyer, Goat, Sarge, and Kid all went before Sara.

When Sara got to Mars, she landed on her feet, but tripped and fell back into...

* * *

**A/N: **_MWAHAHAHAHA! I love the cliffhanger...well, when I do them, anyway._

_So...who did she fall into? Any guesses?  
_


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **_All right, I would have had this out last night, but I had this scholarship ($350, baby!...from my dad's Masonic lodge) to go to. Then I tried to post it earlier today, but we had some thunderstorms, and my computers are shit when it rains...damn dial up. So, here it is now..._

_Woo! 10 already!_

* * *

**Chapter 10: Hello, Samantha**

* * *

"Sorry, Sarge," Sara said, as she looked up at him. 

He looked down at her with a stiff nod.

Only then did Sara realize that Sarge was holding her up only by hooking his arms under hers. At least his hands were fisted, and not wrapped around her, like he would have a few months ago.

Sara found her feet just as Mac and Portman came through.

Sarge let go of her, and she looked around; Kid was kneeling on the floor, puking, while Portman blew chucks as soon as his feet touched the floor. Sara saw John help Kid up.

"Why we gotta come all this way? Why can't UAC rent-a-cops take care of this bullshit?" Portman complained.

"Is it always that rough?" Kid asked, referring to Ark travel, as he wiped at his mouth.

"Believe me, it used to be a lot rougher. There was a time when Ark travel was susceptible to, let's say major turbulence," a guy in a wheelchair said, rolling up to them...no, not a wheelchair. It was part of his body, replacing his legs.

The team moved towards him. Sara stopped just behind Kid and John.

"What's he mean?" Kid asked, leaning towards John slightly.

"He means he went to one galaxy, his ass went to another," John explained.

Sara grinned at John's response, shaking her head.

"Call it a scientific miscalculation," the wheeled guy went on. "Unbelievable as it may seem, UAC does make the odd, tiny mistake. Marcus Pinzerowsky. You call me Pinky. Follow me."

Pinky turned and wheeled around to a desk.

"Where are the UAC personnel who aren't locked down in the lab?" Sarge asked.

"In the atrium," Pinky answered, pressing some buttons.

"Pinky, put us up," Sarge said, as the team moved to the front of Pinky's station.

"Activating remote personal surveillance," Pinky said, pushing more buttons.

"Circle up, men," Sarge instructed.

The team made a small circle.

"On my three. One, two, three."

When Sarge got to three, the team raised their guns. Sara pointed her weapon slightly above Portman's head.

"Killcams up and running," Pinky announced.

"People, this room is a code red, which means no one gets in without our permission. It stays ours at all costs. Mac, you stay here with our friend and secure the door. Men, on me. Let's move out," Sarge said, resting his weapon on his shoulder, and moved the team through the Ark door, into Olduvai.

As the team traveled up some stairs, Sara looked around.

"Who called in the military?" she heard from some guy.

'Your mom,' she thought, childishly, with an inward grin.

The team reached the Atrium, and spread out.

"Where the fuck are we?" Duke asked to no one in particular.

Sara scoffed, then grinned. "Mars."

"About a couple million light years from breakfast," Goat added.

Sara turned her grin to Goat, then made her way over to stand near John.

A UAC employee in charge came up to Sarge and they talked, while Portman wandered over to a group of women.

"Typical," Sara mumbled.

John looked at her and she nodded towards Portman.

"Typical," he replied, looking from Portman and back to Sara.

Sara noticed a woman clothed in shades of white walk down a small stairway. As she took a closer look, she realized the woman was Sam, her friend, and her eyes widened.

Portman left the group of women and walked to Sam, who gave him a disgusted look when he started talking.

"We're under a level five quarantine, so I am just going to have to strip--"

"Portman!" Sarge stopped him.

"Sergeant, this is Dr. Samantha Grimm, the UAC science officer assigned to retrieve data from the lab," the employee, who the team now knew as Lt. Huengs, introduced.

Sarge nodded at her as the team reassembled.

Sara shifted to hide behind John; Kid stood next to her.

"Sergeant," Sam nodded back.

"Dr. Grimm," he said.

Sam's gaze shifted to John.

"Hello, John," she said.

"Hello, Samantha," John replied, calmly.

Sara poked her head around John's shoulder.

Sam did a double take and her eyes widened.

"Sara?" she asked out of surprise.

"Hi, Sam," Sara said, quietly.

Sara could feel Sarge looking at her, so she looked over to him. He glared at her, but Sara just shrugged.

Good thing Duke spoke when he did.

"Hello Samantha," he mumbled.

Sarge shot his glare to Duke, who looked somewhere else.

"Sarge, this operation is a code red. We really don't have room for passengers," John said, as kindly as he could.

"Excuse me, but I have orders to retrieve data from three servers: Anthropology, Forensic Archeology, and Genetics," Sam said, ready to fight him.

"This is a military operation, Doctor. We're really not here to retrieve your science homework," John continued with a false smile.

Sara elbowed him quickly.

"Look I got an idea. Why don't you ask your CO what your orders are?" Sam suggested, looking from John to Sarge.

John turned his head to look at Sarge with a shocked expression.

"To contain and neutralize the threat, protect the civilians, and retrieve..." Sarge paused and turned his look from Sam to John. "Retrieve UAC property."

John lowered his gaze, and shook his head slightly.

"We finally done here? Because I've got a job to do. If you'll follow me?" Sam said walking away.

Sam and Lt. Huengs led the team away from the Atrium.

"You chose this, Reaper," Sarge said, not looking at John. "Is this gonna spoil my day?"

"No, sir," John replied, defiantly, also not looking at Sarge.

"Tell me you didn't let a fine looking piece of ass like that get away from you, Reaper," Duke asked, leaning towards John.

'Eww...that would be considered incest,' Sara thought, with a disgusted look.

"She's my sister," John replied simply, glancing at Duke.

"No shit?" Duke said, straightening up.

"Don't do this again, man," Destroyer warned.

"Do what?" Duke replied, innocently.

Sara shook her head.

"There's three sections to Carmack's lab complex," Sarge stated, more than asked.

"Archeology, Genetics, and Weapons Research," Sam answered.

"You test weapons up here?" Portman asked in disbelief.

"Well, it's a dead planet. You want that stuff tested up here, where it's safe, or in your own backyard? We're primarily an archeological operation. Weapons Research is in its own separate facility. It has nothing to do with Dr. Carmack's work," Sam explained, as they kept walking through a secluded hallway.

Sam stopped at an airlock door.

"How many inside when the lab shut down?" Sarge asked, stopping.

Portman and Goat were right behind him, then Sara and John, and behind them was Duke, Destroyer, and Kid. Kid stuck close to Sara.

"Only Dr. Carmack's team. That's six people. In one of the carbon dating labs, there was an internal phone left off the hook," Sam explained some more.

"Did you get any information from it?" Sarge asked.

Sam looked to Lt. Huengs. He held up a tape recorder and pressed a button. Women and men could be heard screaming.

Sara hung her head.

"Open the door," Sarge instructed to Sam.

Sam nodded, swiped her ID card through the keypad and pressed the buttons for the numeric code.

The door hissed as it unlocked.

"Portman, Goat, lead on," Sarge said.

Portman and Goat moved to the door and pulled out air detection devices, as Lt. Huengs opened the door for them.

Seconds later, Goat gave the all clear.

The team, plus Sam, entered the airlock.

"Pinky, give us a schematic," Sarge said through the comm., and moved to a screen.

"Uploading to you now," Pinky replied.

Sam locked them all in the airlock, then stood in front of John and Sara.

While Sarge's attention was on the screen, John shifted closer to Sara. He let his arm drop to his side, then slowly brought it up to grasp Sara's elbow, just above her elbow pad. He rubbed his thumb over her arm.

Sara gave a half grin, keeping her head forward, but looked at John out of the corner of her eye.

John returned the look.

"Carmack's lab is isolated from the rest of the facility. The airlock is the only way in or out," Pinky explained through the comms as the schematic appeared.

Sarge studied it, then put his gun back on his shoulder.

Just before Sarge turned around, John dropped his hand away from Sara's arm, and their faces went back to showing no emotion.

"Goat, Portman: Genetics. Kid, Destroyer: Carmack's office where he sent the mayday from. Reaper, you and Tex keep Dr. Grimm here safe on her salvage op," Sarge ordered.

John looked flabbergasted, as did Sam. Sara's eyes widened slightly.

"Duke and I'll take the weapons lab, make sure all the hardware's secure. Be safe, gentlemen," Sarge continued to order. "Portman, Goat: on you."

The team cocked their weapons as Portman and Goat went out of the airlock.

"Clear left," Portman said.

"Clear right," Goat chimed.

The team tumbled out of the airlock.

"Five bucks says this shit ain't nothing but a disgruntled employee with a gun," Portman said.

'If that were the case, they wouldn't need us...and Carmack wouldn't have been freaking out,' Sara reasoned, through her thoughts.

"I'll take that bet," Sara said, standing behind Portman.

She reached her hand over his shoulder, and they shook on it.

'More money for me,' Sara sang in her head.

"Florescent markings as room are cleared. Go," Sarge commanded.

The team split up as they went where they were instructed to go.

* * *

**A/N: **_How weird is it that 'The Rundown' (with The Rock) was just on TV? While I was posting this..._

_Okay, so it's not that weird...but I thought it was kinda funny._


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: **_Woo! It's been a while...sorry. I've been catching up on some things...okay, so I've been reading other ficts..._

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 11:** **Duties**

* * *

John and Sara sandwiched Sam in between them as they maneuvered the corridors; John took the lead, while Sara took the rear. 

When they reached the first room, John went it. Sam turned on the lights. Sara guarded the door until it was clear.

"Lock it," John instructed Sam.

Sara jumped into the room as Sam closed and locked the door.

"It's clear," John announced as he continued to look around the room.

Sam descended the short staircase and went over to a computer.

Sara also descended the stairs to look around the room.

"How much time you gonna need?" John asked, walking around.

"Thirty minutes, tops," Sam answered, getting to work.

John and Sara explored the room. Sara found it fascinating.

"So Sara, what're you doing here?" Sam asked, as she looked away from the computer momentarily.

"My job," Sara replied.

Sam rolled her eyes, as John sent a subtle grin her way.

"Why 'Tex'?" Sam asked.

"Well, as Sarge once put it: 'I'm an accurate shot. One-hundred percent of the time'," Sara smirked, glancing at John.

"Ah, "nice shootin', Tex," right?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, and no sarcasm implied either," Sara laughed.

"And 'Reaper'? As in 'Grim'?" Sam continued with her nickname questioning.

"They're Marines, Sam, not poets," John replied.

Sara moved over to a display with bones in it.

"Whoa," she mumbled.

John came over to stand next to her.

"Holy shit," he said a little louder.

"Oh, yeah, meet Lucy. Lucy, this is my brother, John, and friend, Sara, more creatures from the long lost past," Sam stated.

Sara rolled her eyes at the comment.

"Wasn't Lucy the name of the first remains they found on Earth?...how ironic," she mumbled.

"You found human remains?" John asked Sam.

"Humanoid. Lucy and her child were our first major find. We're bringing out more everyday," Sam elaborated.

John turned to face her.

"You re-opened the dig?" he asked angrily.

"Uh oh," Sara muttered, as she whistled while taking big steps away from the twins' arguing.

"I know I should have told you. I didn't figure it was the sort of thing I could jot down on a yearly birthday card," Sam said.

John looked away from her, heatedly.

"It's been stabilized," Sam defended.

"Bullshit!" John spat.

Sara went back over to John.

"John," she said quietly and calmly, barely moving her lips. She didn't want a fight between them.

John looked towards her briefly.

"You wanna talk about safe? Like you took a desk job?" Sam continued to argue.

John looked away from both women.

"I'm a forensic archeologist, John. I'll go where the work is," Sam said, turning back to the computer.

"Is that the only reason you're up here?" John asked, calmer, and looking back at Sam.

"You wanna know why I'm up here? I'll show you, come here," Sam said, moving discs around.

John looked at Sara, who nodded her head in Sam's direction; he walked over to Sam. Sara stayed by Lucy and stared.

"This is Lucy's chromosome profile. Notice anything?" Sam asked as John got closer.

"My molecular genetics is a little rusty," John replied, still with a little snap.

"What's the first thing dad told us to look for?"

'I'm gonna take a stab at it and say...chromosomes,' Sara thought, remembering back to the good old days of childhood.

"She's got twenty-four pairs of chromosomes," John said in awe, staring at the screen.

'Wow, mood swing. Note to self: don't piss off John...again,' Sara thought, rolling her eyes at the small after thought of 'again'.

"Humans only have twenty-three," Sam said, looking up at John.

"So what does the extra pair do?" John asked.

"Makes her superhuman," Sam replied, hitting a button on the computer, then getting out of her chair and walking towards Sara and Lucy.

John followed and stood next to Sara, putting her in between him and Lucy.

"The extra pair make her super strong, super fit, super intelligent. Her cells divide fifty times faster, meaning she heals almost instantly. The fossil record indicates these people had conquered disease. We found no genetic disorders, no viruses, no cancers," Sam explained, as she constantly shifted her gaze from John to Sara.

"So, what? They were just naturally superior?" John asked.

The computer beeped, and Sam went back over to it.

"No, not naturally. See, the earliest remains we found only had twenty-three. We suspect this extra chromosome may be synthetic," Sam continued to explain.

John moved to where Sam was standing, across from Sara.

"Bioengineered?" he asked.

"That's a long word for a Marine," Sam said.

Sara tried to hold in a laugh as she shifted her gaze from Sam to John.

"Did it ever bother you that you could've spent your life looking down a microscope instead of a sniper scope?" Sam went on.

John made a face, as if to say 'yeah, right', then looked back at Lucy. "If they were so smart, how come they're so dead?"

There was a pause.

"We don't know. Maybe they just went with time," Sam answered.

"You don't shield a baby from time," Sara and John said at the same time.

They turned their heads to look at each other, and Sara smiled. She then realized Sam was looking at them, so she looked towards Sam, then down to her feet, then back at Lucy.

"We got movement up ahead," came Portman's voice over the comm.

"You two stay here, okay? Lock the door," John said, kindly.

"Fuck no. I'm going, too," Sara said. "Sam's a big girl and can take care of herself."

"Sara, stay here. I don't want you to get hurt," John said quietly, so Sam couldn't hear.

"I'm not going to get hurt. Remember when you backed me into the wall?" Sara countered. "Don't worry so much."

"Fine," John sighed, then looked back at Sam. "Keep the door locked."

With that, Sara and John ran out the door and through the lab to where everyone was reporting movement. John led them, then stopped at a corner when he heard gunfire.

"Hold your fire!" he called around it, then stuck his head around.

John moved out and went down some stairs. Sara followed and Kid and Destroyer followed her.

They came to another corridor and stopped.

"If you have a weapon, drop it," John called down the hall, then they moved on.

The four came to the first alcove, and John shined his light on a man. Dr. Carmack.

"Don't move," John instructed to Carmack.

Sara and Kid took the far side of the small alcove, while Destroyer stood behind John and watched the hallway.

The rest of the team found them. Sarge turned on the lights when he got there, then stood in the middle of the group.

'What's he holding?' Sara thought, keeping her eyes on Carmack.

Sam came running down the hall.

"Sam, I told you to stay--" John started, quietly, but was interrupted by Sam.

"But he knows me, John."

She slowly approached Carmack, who kept trying to wedge himself into the corner.

"Dr. Carmack, it's me, Samantha. Where are the others? Where are they? Steve, Hillary..."

Carmack dropped whatever he was holding. It hit the ground with a sick thud.

Sara looked down at the object.

"Is that an arm?" she mumbled, a sick look crossing her features, as Kid nodded.

"I'm not gonna hurt you," Sam kept repeating.

She was almost able to reach him, when he screeched and brought his hand to his ear. In one swift movement, he ripped his ear off.

Sam jumped back with a 'Jesus Christ', Portman said an 'oh, damn', Sara came up with an 'oh, shit' and jumped, and Kid groaned and made a disgusted face.

"Get a med kit," Sam said, stretching her arm back.

As John handed her a kit, and Portman laughed an 'oh, nice'.

"Duke, Tex, get him to the infirmary with Dr. Grimm. Portman, Kid, go to the airlock and dig in. Anything trying to get away from us will be driven straight to you," Sarge ordered. "Now let's see if we can find the body that goes with that arm."

Everyone got moving.

Sara and Duke went over to Carmack to get him on his feet. Sara was the unfortunate one to get the side where there was no longer an ear.

'Great,' she thought, while rolling her eyes.

Sam led the way to the med lab, while Sara and Duke supported Carmack.

They were about to go down a hallway, when Sam stopped them.

"I'll be right back. Might need some help."

She ran before Sara or Duke could say anything.

Sara growled.

"She's just as stubborn as her brother," she mumbled.

"What was that?" Duke asked, looking around Carmack to Sara.

"I said, she's just as stubborn as her brother," Sara said louder, looking over at Duke as best as she could.

Duke laughed shortly.

Sam came back a minute later, with another doctor.

"This is Dr. Jenna Willits. This is Duke and Sara," Sam introduced quickly, as they continued walking down the hall.

At the end of the hall was a wall. Duke looked it over.

"No, no. No, no, I don't do nanowalls," he said.

Sara rolled her eyes.

"Be a man, Duke," she mumbled.

"Yes, you do," Sam said as she opened the wall.

Sara took Carmack's arm off her shoulders.

Jenna went over to Duke's side and supported Carmack.

"Wait here," Duke said, looking at Sam. "Shit."

Sara and Duke both went through the wall, and did a quick search. Seeing nothing, Duke motioned for Sam and Jenna to come in.

Sara helped Duke and Jenna get Carmack on a gurney by picking up his feet, while Sam brought a light and a heart rate monitor over.

"Did they find the others?" Jenna asked.

"Not yet," Sam answered.

"My husband's with them."

Sara and Duke exchanged a look.

"I'm sure Steve's fine," Sam said, then turned her attention to Carmack. "Dr. Carmack, I'm going to take your blood pressure."

Jenna checked his pupils, and as she pulled away, Carmack sat up quickly, grasping onto Sam's shoulders.

Sara jumped back, while Duke tried to get control of Carmack.

'God, I'm so fucking jumpy,' Sara thought, shaking her head.

"It's okay. It's okay," Sam said to Duke, then looked back at Carmack. "What happened in there?"

"Shut it, shut it down. Shut it down. S-shut it down. It's inside," Carmack stuttered before falling back onto the gurney.

The four looked at each other.

"What's inside?" Sara asked quietly, looking at Sam and Jenna.

She knew they were all thinking it, but she was the one to have the guts to ask it.

The doctors shrugged.

* * *

**A/N: **_More soon..._  



	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: **_Wow, record highs today...and I was out in that heat. How dumb am I? If I survive this massive heat index, I'll have more chapters for you. But for now, here's another chapter._

_

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_**Chapter 12:**** Goat**

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Jenna and Sam continued to make sure Carmack was all right otherwise, while Sara and Duke stood out of the way. 

Jenna went to take some of Carmack's blood for testing.

"Oh, my god. There's something in his blood," she said.

Sam and Sara went over to take a look.

"What the hell? That's not normal is it?" Sara asked, noticing the black particles in Carmack's blood.

Jenna shook her head.

"What's happening to him?" Sam asked, more to herself than anyone. "Let's move him into observation," she continued.

Sara nodded, and after Jenna took the blood needed, Sam and Sara moved the entire gurney into the observation area. Jenna hooked Carmack up to an IV drip.

Sara left the observation and went to the other room to watch from behind the glass window.

When Carmack was settled, Jenna and Sam did some blood tests.

Sara and Duke stood across from each other at the doorway to the observation, so they could keep an eye on Carmack and the doctors.

"Some weird shit going on here, huh?" Duke said to Sara.

"Yeah, really weird. This is crazy," Sara replied.

Sara looked over to the doctors, and saw them conversing; she only caught the end of their conversation.

"Go on. Be with your daughter," Sam said to Jenna.

With a quick 'thank you', Jenna left the lab.

Duke and Sara walked over to Sam.

"What's going on?" Sam muttered.

Duke and Sara looked over her shoulder to the computer screen.

"'No blood match'. Can't be good, right?" Duke asked, reading the screen.

"This is crazy," Sam mumbled.

"Didn't I just say that?" Sara asked, quietly.

Sam went over to the Observation door to look at Carmack.

"Oh, my god!" she said.

Sara and Duke exchanged another look before they went over to Sam.

Carmack was no longer on the gurney, let alone in the lab. The blanket that was covering him was on the floor, along with a small blood trail.

"Shit," Sara and Duke said together, in disbelief.

After their shock, Sam went back to the computer to continue looking into Carmack's blood work.

Duke continued to keep watch, while Sara went to a spare gurney in the corner and hopped up to sit on it; she swung her feet for a lack of anything else to do.

Some time later, the door to the med lab opened.

Sara jumped off the gurney and held her gun at the ready. When she saw it was the team, she lowered the gun.

Sarge and John were carrying a bloody Goat, and they set him on another gurney.

"What happened?" Sam and Sara asked together.

"He was talking about devils," Portman said, getting an IV ready.

"Devils?" Sam questioned.

"All this Bible shit. Angels. Good and evil. Devils among us," Portman continued.

While most of the team helped save Goat, Sara stood at his feet and just stared.

She wasn't listening to anything that was going on; she just stood biting her nails, and repeating the mantra 'Come on, Goat' over and over in her head.

When Duke said he lost the pulse, Sara became very worried. Goat was her friend; she didn't know how she'd feel if he died.

John started defibrillation.

"Where the hell's Carmack?" Sarge asked from right next to Sara, after looking through the observation window.

"He disappeared," Sam said, simply.

"What do you mean, 'he disappeared'?"

"He's gone. He disappeared."

"I've lost the pulse," Duke announced.

"Shit. Okay. Gonna defib. Clear!" John said, then shocked Goat.

"Come on," Duke muttered as they all watched the heart rate monitor.

"Come on," John mumbled also. "No response."

"We're loosing him," Duke said quietly.

"Sam, gimme that adrenaline," John said, as Sam handed him a syringe of a adrenaline.

John gave the drug directly into Goat's heart, then looked back at the monitor.

"Come on, you son of a bitch," he mumbled.

There was no improvement, so John grabbed the defibrillator again.

"Okay. Going again. Clear!" he shocked Goat.

Everything was quiet except for the flat lining on the monitor.

"He's gone," John finalized, turning off the monitor.

Sara shifted her hand to cover her whole face, and tilted her head down. Sarge put his hand on her back, right above the pockets of her vest. Normally, she would shrug him off, but at the moment, she didn't care.

John kicked a crash cart, and it went crashing against the gurney Sara occupied, not too long ago. He then leaned on the gurney and hung his head.

Sara brought her hand down so it just covered her nose and mouth.

"Doctor, you are going to tell me just what the FUCK is going on up here!" Sarge demanded.

He took his hand off of Sara, and took a few steps to Sam.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Come here," Sarge demanded, walking to a black bag Sara didn't see before.

"Come here!" he repeated when Sam didn't move.

Sam then moved to where Sarge went.

"This is 'what'," he spat, pulling the top of the black bag back to reveal one ugly bugger. It looked like a 'human being' was turned inside out, and burnt to a crisp.

"God!" Sam exclaimed, bringing a hand to her head.

"Shit," Sara said, quietly, out of surprise when she saw the thing. She backed up into the observation window and leaned heavily against it.

"Have you found anything like this on your archeological digs?" Sarge asked Sam after a quick glance to Sara.

"No," Sam replied, sternly.

"Is there anyway this thing came from the surface?" Sarge continued in questioning.

"The planet is completely dead," Sam said, with the same defiance.

"It came from somewhere, lady," Portman said as if Sam was a child.

"Portman, shut up," Sarge said.

"The atmosphere on the surface can't support life," Sam explained.

"Maybe it doesn't need air. It could have come from another planet or something," Portman argued.

"What? Like an alien?"

"Look at that thing!"

"Portman! You need to shut the fuck up!" Sarge yelled.

"That's not what we saw," John finally said, calmly.

Sara's head snapped in his direction, her eyes wide.

"That's not what Goat and I shot at in Genetics," he continued.

"You telling me there's more of these fucking things?" Portman said more calm than he was moments before.

"Where are your surface entry points?" Sarge asked, looking back at Sam.

John moved to stand next to Sam. As he passed Sara, he put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a small squeeze. He looked at her sympathetically, then continued to walk towards Sam.

"There's a pressure door at the end of the north corridor," Sam replied.

"Destroyer. You, Kid, and Portman get there on the double. Give me an update," Sarge commanded.

"Yes, sir," Destroyer answered.

"Whatever this thing is, it cannot get back through the Ark. Mac?" Sarge asked over the comm.

When Sarge got an answer, he continued. "I want you to arm Pinky with a weapon with some ST grenades, and seal the Ark door."

"There's one other door," Sam added.

"Where?" Sarge demanded.

Sam opened her mouth to answer, but John answered first.

"The entrance to the archeological dig."

"Reaper, let's go. Tex, stay here with Duke and Dr. Grimm," Sarge said.

Sara looked at him, still against the glass, and nodded.

The team moved out of the med lab, minus Duke and Sara.

Once they were gone, Sam moved back over to Goat's lifeless body. She then went over to a cabinet, and pulled out a black body bag.

"Could you two help me?" Sam asked, looking from Duke to Sara.

Duke nodded, but Sara shook her head.

"I-I can't," she stuttered, sliding down the wall.

She sat on the floor and rested her gun across her lap; she pulled her knees up as far as they could go with the weapon there.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, looking to Sam.

"No, it's okay, just...stay there," Sam replied.

Sam and Duke put Goat in the black body bag, and moved him to the observation area just so he was out of the way.

In the observation room, Sam spoke quietly with Duke.

"What's wrong with Sara?" Sam asked.

"She and Goat were close. They've stuck together ever since her first day onto the team...they were almost as close as her and Reaper," Duke explained.

"What?"

"I think since she's known him for so long, she kinda sticks close to him. Possibly trusts him more. I don't know."

Sam nodded slowly, thoughtfully, and they walked back into the main room.

When they walked in, Sara had her elbows on her knees and her hands clasped in front of her. She was staring at something across the room, showing no emotion.

Sam walked over to Sara and kneeled down next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"You going to be all right?" she asked.

Sara stopped staring and slowly turned her head to Sam.

"Yeah...is it possible to get some water in here?" Sara replied, as her voice cracked, and she forced a smile.

Sam smiled back and nodded, then got up and went over to a sink.

Duke came over to Sara.

"Sure you're okay?" he asked.

Sara took a deep breath. "Yeah, for now."

Duke extended his arm to her. Sara gasped his wrist, and he pulled her to her feet.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

Sam came back over to Sara with a cup of water.

Sara nodded her thanks, and took a few gulps. About half the cup was gone when she threw the rest of the water in her face.

"Much better," she said, as she dabbed her face dry with her sleeve.

Duke grinned and shook his head.

"So what now?" Sara asked, looking down into the empty cup.

"Well, I'd like to take a look at this thing," Sam said, walking over to the dead thing laying on the floor.

Sara and Duke nodded and helped Sam get the thing out of the black bag and onto a gurney.

* * *

**A/N: **_All right, so I guess I want to say THANKS! to everyone who has reviewed (or even read) this thing so far._

_And bunnychica9...you're reviews make my day, make me laugh. :D_


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: **_I have nothing to say except this: I own nothing, except Sara 'Tex' Dupree.

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_

**Chapter 13: The BFG, and Men...**

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As Sam put on a pair of rubber gloves, and grabbed some tools, Sara walked and looked around the room. 

Sam was looking in the mouth of the thing when she dropped her flashlight in it, and cursed.

"Duke. Hold this open," she said.

Duke went over to Sam, and stared at the thing.

"Don't be a wuss," Sam said.

Sara sniggered as Duke held the mouth open.

"Little tension between you and Reaper?" Duke asked after a minute or so.

"We just went our separate ways," Sam said, as she got her flashlight back and moved to the other side of the table. "Why does a talented student throw it all away and join RRTS?"

'He didn't throw it away...' Sara thought.

"So what was he like before?" Duke continued.

"Who, John?" Sam asked.

"Yeah."

"Empathetic, sensitive."

"It's kinda hard for me to imagine Reaper as sensitive."

"Not me," Sara mumbled from the other end of the room.

Sam looked in her direction quickly, then responded to Duke.

"Well I knew 'Reaper' before all the 'drop down and gimme fifty, hoo-ha' stuff."

"Yeah? Well, it's hua," Duke corrected, leaning closer to Sam.

"Hua," Sam said with a laugh.

"Yeah."

"Do you have a family?" Sam asked, seriously.

"I have Destroyer. You know, we grew up together."

"I've never seen this side of you, Duke," Sara smirked, from where she was. "Never thought you knew how to be...sensitive."

"You know, Duke, I bet secretly you have a big heart," Sam said, bringing his attention back to her.

"Oh, yeah? Well, that ain't the only secret big thing I got," he said, quietly, leaning in again.

Sara rolled her eyes dramatically, with a sigh.

"Little rusty, huh?" Sam asked.

"Oh, lady, you have no idea," Duke laughed as Sam went to cut open the thing's chest. "Right now, having sex with me is practically your civic duty."

Sara scoffed.

Sam paused and looked at Sara.

"They get like this with you?" she asked.

Sara laughed.

"Nope. They got a good warning my first day. Well, Portman was the only one who really suffered...oh, and Sarge," she said.

Sam looked at Duke.

"She kicked Portman's ass for hitting on her. Gave him a bloody nose. And prevented Sarge from doing anything also," he explained.

"Nice," Sam said to Sara.

"I know," Sara bowed dramatically.

Sam stuck her scalpel in the thing and tried to cut. The blade broke off.

"I need a power bone saw," She said.

"A power bone saw? Girl, I've been waiting on you my whole life," Duke practically whined.

"There's one in the procedure room. Down the corridor, on the left, through the nanowall," Sam described.

"Through the nanowall?" Duke asked, skeptically.

"Oh, for Pete's sake. I'll go," Sara said forcefully, walking over to the wall.

"It'll give you two some alone time," she smirked as she went through the wall and closed it before either could say anything.

Sara sniggered to herself as she hoisted her gun and walked carefully down the hall to the procedure room.

When she got there, she shut the door behind her, and turned on the lights quickly, then surveyed the room with her gun.

Finding nothing, she maneuvered her way through the room to find the saw. Looking in random drawers and cabinets, she found it in the last place she looked. Grabbing the saw, she just meant to walk back to the infirmary, but too many interesting things in the room caught her attention and she put off going back.

A few minutes later, the lights flickered.

After trying to look at something, but couldn't because of the flickering lights, she gave up and decided to head back to the infirmary.

Sara went to open the door to go back down the hall, when Sam opened the door.

Both women jumped back with a scream. Duke caught Sam when she jumped back.

"God, Sam!" Sara said, walking into the hall, where Sam was leaning against Duke. "I have your saw."

Sam took the saw out of Sara's hands, and the three walked back to the nanowall.

"What took you so long?" Sam asked Sara.

"I got distracted by some nifty looking things in there," Sara explained quietly.

The lights flickered again.

"What the hell's up with the lights?" Sara asked.

"Just a power surge," Duke replied.

The lights went off entirely, and they heard a growl. Duke and Sara brought their weapons up.

Sam backed up towards the nanowall.

Duke and Sara slowly moved in that direction. A growl came from their right, down a side hallway. They turned and came face to face with a snarling, growling rottweiler.

"Sam, get back in the lab," Duke demanded quietly.

Sam opened the wall and went through it.

The dog stopped growling abruptly and backed away.

"Dogs don't just stop growling like--" Sara started, but was interrupted by Sam screaming.

Sara turned just in time to see another nasty demon creature. It hit Duke in the shoulder as he fired shots at it.

Sara ran back to the infirmary and stood right at the wall. Duke's gun jammed and Sara took up the shooting.

"Come on, Duke!" She yelled.

When Duke was close enough, Sara took a step back and through the wall. She tripped and fell back. She turned her fall into a backward somersault, and hopped up to her feet as Duke fell though.

"Close it!" Duke yelled as Sam closed the wall, and fell back into Duke.

The wall caught part of the creature, making it immobile. It shot its tongue out of its mouth. The tongue went sailing over Duke and Sam. Sara jumped over it as it went sliding across the floor towards her; it hit the far wall.

"And that's why I don't do nanowalls," Duke said as Sam relaxed against him.

Sara looked back at the tongue, then went over to help Sam and Duke off the floor.

"I missed. I never miss," Sara mumbled in disbelief.

Sam sighed and picked up the bone saw she dropped on the floor.

She went back to the dead creature on the table and cut into its chest.

"Tex," Sarge called through the comm.

"Sarge?" Sara replied.

"Meet me at the Armory. You might like this," Sarge replied.

"I'm on my way," She answered.

"See you later. Keep it clean, kids," Sara said to Sam and Duke as she headed for the side door.

"And Tex?" Sarge continued.

"Yes?"

"Get there quick, but be careful."

"Right, Sarge."

Sararolled her eyes, but moved quickly through the lab complex. She came around the corner to the Armory and shined the light attached to her gun down the hall. She crept down the hall to the door.

She waited about a minute before Sarge came around the corner, scaring Sara when he rounded the corner.

"Shit, thanks for a warning," Sara said.

"Did you run into anything on the way here?" he asked, ignoring her comment.

"No."

"Good."

Sara noticed Sarge carrying something familiar.

"Is that the arm Carmack was carrying?" she asked with a disgusted look, as they entered the room.

Sarge didn'' answer, just held up the arm.

"Damn," Sara mumbled, looking around the Armory. "What're we here for exactly?"

"Look at the screen," Sarge said, pointing to it as he passed by it.

Sara rolled her eyes, and thought 'men...' as she looked at the screen.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew Dr. Grimm?" Sarge asked.

"I didn't think it was all that important. We're not relatives. Just friends, like me and John," Sara defended.

"Is that all you and Reaper are? Friends?" he asked, looking back at her, and raising an eyebrow.

Sara frowned. "Yes."

Sarge looked at her skeptically, but continued on to the far wall.

"BFG?" Sara mumbled as she looked at Sarge after looking back at the screen.

Sarge looked back at her with a nod. He turned back to the keypad on the wall, swiped the card, and hit the correct numbers.

Sara walked over and stood on the opposite side of the door.

"Please provide DNA verification," an electronic voice said.

A compartment below the keypad slid open, and Sarge looked at Sara.

"This is why we need the arm," he said, and placed the hand in the compartment.

"Welcome, Patricia Tallman. Access granted," the voice said again.

Sarge looked to Sara as the door opened.

"Take this," he said, as he held Tallman's arm out to Sara.

Sara looked a the arm briefly, then took the index finger between her own index and thumb. She chucked it onto a nearby table with a disgusted look.

Turning back to the open door, Sara saw the developmental gun. It seemed to be held in the middle of the room by air.

Sarge and Sara exchanged grins, then Sarge moved around to the opposite side, never letting his eyes stray from the gun.

"Big. Fucking. Gun," he mumbled, through his walk.

'You think?' Sara thought.

When Sarge got to the opposite side of the gun, he looked up at Sara, grinned, then looked back at the weapon like it was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. He slung his own weapon onto his back and grabbed the BFG. Looking from the gun to Sara, he mumbled an 'ahh, shit', and came back out of the room.

"Are you sure that thing's even safe to fire? I mean they did have it locked up and that was probably for a reason," Sara said, as they both walked out of the Armory, Sarge with his new toy.

"There's only one way to find out," he replied.

'Such a male response...' Sara thought, rolling her eyes.

* * *

**A/N: **_Haha! (snort) I just realized that there was no John in this chapter...oh, well. I'll make it up to you, I hope..._


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: **_Woo! I'm on an update roll today! Every one of my stories has been updated! Hot Damn!_

_

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_

**Chapter 14:** **More Death**

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Sara followed Sarge down the hall and through the lab complex, when they heard Pinky over the comm. 

"Lost Portman on comm., and all I got on Destroyer is a wall," he said.

Sarge picked up the pace to Destroyer and Portman's position.

"Portman, come in. Destroyer. Come in," Sarge called through the comm. As he jumped around a corner, Sara in tow.

Sarge and Sara got back to the airlock. Portman and Destroyer were no where to be seen.

"Destroyer, Portman, where the hell are you?" Sarge asked, again, over the comm.

There was no answer, so Sarge and Sara moved down the hall. They found Destroyer's gun laying in the middle of the hall. They looked at each other and kept moving down the hall and into a large room with a big hole in the floor. They stood near the edge and shined their lights down.

Destroyer lay on the floor of the hole...dead.

"God..." Sara mumbled, sadly.

They then heard a yelling over the comm. It was Portman; they could tell from the string of curses. They ran to where his screaming was coming from.

When they got to the room, John and Kid were already there and Portman was being dangled from the ceiling by another creature. John and Kid fired at it, and Sarge jumped down the small set of stairs. As the creature dropped Portman, Sarge fired the BFG to the ceiling.

A blue, electric bolt shot out of the gun. When the round hit, it dissolved part of the ceiling and wall.

"Holy shit," Sarge said, as he looked from the hole to the gun.

Kid went over to check Portman, and Sara took his spot, staring at the ceiling.

"Good gravy," she muttered, looking at Sarge and the gun.

Kid reached Portman and checked his pulse. He looked back at the other three and shook his head.

"He's gone."

"Damn it," Sarge mumbled. "Reaper, Tex, get Portman and take him to the infirmary. Kid, come help me."

"What?" Kid mumbled.

"Destroyer," Sara sighed, quietly.

Kid nodded and followed Sarge back up the stairs, and out of the room.

Sara looked at John as he walked up to her.

"I assume you're okay now," he stated.

"For now...I guess," she replied.

They looked at each other for another moment, then swung their weapons to their backs. Sara threw her arms around John's neck, as his went around her waist.

When they pulled back, John kissed Sara in a reassuring manner, and they went to pick up Portman.

Sara helped sling Portman onto John's shoulders. They left the room (which Sara finally figured was a bathroom) and met up with Kid and Sarge in the large room, where they found Destroyer earlier.

The four, plus the dead two, headed back to the infirmary.

Sarge walked into the room first with Destroyer over his shoulder.

"Destroyer?" Duke asked and came up to Sarge. He took Destroyer, and placed him against the wall.

Sara came in next, followed by John.

"And Portman," John breathed, going over to the spare gurney and placing Portman on it.

Kid was the last to come in. He kneeled on the floor next to Sara.

"So much for my five dollars," Sara mumbled, looking towards Portman.

"Just be glad you're alive," Kid mumbled back.

Sara grinned down at him, sadly.

"At the moment," she mumbled, still looking at him.

"What the hell is this?" Sarge asked, pointing to the creature stuck in the nanowall. "And whose goddamn blood is on that window?"

"Goat's. He killed himself," Sam replied, calmly.

A very confused look crossed Sara's face, as Sarge looked at Sam like she was crazy.

"What do you mean he killed himself? He was already dead," Sarge said, raising his voice.

"It's true. It's Goat. He was changing into one of these MOTHERFUCKERS and he killed himself," Duke explained, on the brink of tears.

Sara looked down at Kid, who looked like he was going to throw up again. She put her hand on his shoulder.

"All right?" she asked, quietly.

Kid nodded, but not too confidently.

"We found two more scientists at the dig," John started. "Thurman, and a balding guy with glasses."

"Dr. Clay," Sam said, walking over to John, who was still next to Portman's body. "Did you check their necks? Were there open wounds on their necks?"

"We were conducting a firefight, not an autopsy," John said, through gritted teeth.

Sam went over and checked Destroyer.

"We came up here to find six scientists. Four are known dead, and Dr. Willits is probably KIA somewhere down in that sewer. The only one missing is Dr. Carmack. Has Dr. Carmack showed up yet?" Sarge practically yelled.

"Oh, he showed up all right," Duke said, calmly, over his shoulder.

"Look at the left ear," Sam said, standing and pointing at the creature in the nanowall.

Sarge hesitated, then went over to the creature and looked at the left ear...or, actually, lack there of.

"Son of a bitch," he mumbled.

"I think this one is Steve Willits," Sam continued, walking over to the dead creature on the table. "I'm gonna run the DNA, check it against his med records."

"What are you people working on up here?" Sarge continued.

"We're analyzing bones, artifacts. We're not doing anything like this," Sam defended.

"Then what the fuck is that!" Sarge hollered, pointing to Carmack.

"It must be a genetic mutation. Something environmental or viral. I don't know. It may even be reversible," Sam said calmly, while Sarge glared at her.

"It's irreversible," Sarge replied.

"Not necessarily."

"Carmack's condition is irreversible," he practically whispered 'irreversible'.

Sarge then pulled a handgun from one of his pockets, and walked over to Carmack.

Sam screamed a 'no!' as Sarge stuck the gun in creature Carmack's mouth, and shot a bullet into his brain, killing him instantly.

Sara jumped slightly when Sarge pulled the trigger, making Kid look up at her.

"Because Carmack's condition is that, he's dead," Sarge continued, looking from the blood dripping off of his gun to Sam.

"Kid, you and Duke get back to the dig and make sure those other dead scientists are really dead," he instructed.

Sara patted Kid on the shoulder and gave him a weak smile as he stood up. He nodded back, then he and Duke left the infirmary.

During Sarge's ordering, John looked over at Sara, then down to Kid. He knew if something happened to Kid, Sara might loose it...she already lost one friend.

"I've lost four Marines. What are you people experimenting with up here?" Sarge asked, walking towards Sam.

There was a pause, and Sam looked scared, to say the least.

"I'm not gonna ask you again," Sarge sneered.

John and Sara both moved slowly closer to Sarge and Sam.

"I told you, it's an archeological research center. Do you think I'm lying to you? Is that what you're saying? You think I'm hiding something? I'm telling the truth," Sam said, standing her ground.

She started to breathe heavier.

John took a few steps towards her.

"What were you downloading? What were you sent here to protect?" he asked, calmly, but sternly.

"The research data!"

"Research into what?" John asked, still with the same demeanor.

"I-I don't know," Sam said, quietly.

Sarge was about to say something, when Sam cut him off.

"But I know how to find out."

"How?" Sarge demanded.

"I still need those last discs. There's bound to be something on there," Sam explained.

Sarge looked to Sara and John briefly, then back to Sam. "Let's go."

* * *

**A/N: **_Yea! John came back...Woo! Uh, yeah..._  



	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: **_I found one of my 80's CDs earlier, so I put it on...the first song that came up was "Don't Fear the Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult. I was like "Hot. Damn." and started cracking up. Then decided to post this. So..._

_Come on baby (don't fear the reaper)  
Baby take my hand (don't fear the reaper)  
We'll be able to fly (don't fear the reaper)  
Baby I'm your man...  
_

* * *

**Chapter 15: Let's Play God**

_******

* * *

**_The four left the infirmary to go to Genetics for the last of the discs. Sarge led them, followed by Sam, then Sara, then John. They made it to the room safely without any confrontation. After Sarge said the room was clear, the other three entered, and Sam went directly over to the computer; she sat in front of it, and put one of the discs in to play it.

John stood to Sam's right, and Sara next to him. Sarge stood on Sam's left.

The disc started playing, and they heard Carmack narrating what they were doing to a human being.

"_Subject was injected with study agent at zero zero three. Vitals normal, elevated heart rate attributed to subject anxiety. C-24 successfully grafted to subject's marker cells at zero zero nine_," the recording went.

"He reconstructed chromosome mutation on a human subject," John grumbled, looking at Sam.

"We were never going to do human studies," Sam said, looking to Sarge, and shaking her head.

"What the hell are we looking at?" Sarge asked.

John sighed, and looked at the computer screen.

"Genesis. Chapter one," he replied.

Sarge gave him a strange look that Sara caught.

"They were playing God," she mumbled.

John turned his head to her, and nodded curtly.

The disc continued on, still with Carmack's voiceover. "_Subject moved to protected observation area at zero seventeen. Subject: Curtis Stahl. Crime: multiple murder. Status: condemned to execution._"

Sam got off her seat to move around John and Sara. She picked up a vial of some liquid, and read the label.

"Chromosome Twenty-four!" she exclaimed, looking from Sara to John.

Sara's eyes widened. "Fuck..." she mumbled.

"Oh, my god," John mumbled.

"_Forty-nine minutes after injection, genetic mutations began to visually manifest on subject's extremities,_" the disc continued.

On the screen, Stahl's left hand started transforming into something that looked like the creatures running around UAC.

Sara had to look away.

John turned off the disc, and took it out of the computer.

"This is what you're here to protect," he said, walking a few steps away from the computer.

"It doesn't make any sense," Sam sighed, looking across the desk.

"You trusted them. They lied to you. They used you, Sam," John continued.

"If he perfected xenogenesis--" Sam started, looking at her brother.

"Christ, don't you get it? It's this place. It's hell. It always was," he said, calmly.

Sam looked away from him to Sara, who gave her a sympathetic look, then Sam looked across the room.

"This shit ends here," John muttered, walking back over to the desk, and picking up the discs.

"What're you doing?" Sarge asked, stepping closer to John.

"We have to destroy these discs," he replied.

"That's UAC property," Sarge stated.

"Fuck UAC, we take this back, they'll just--"

Sarge grabbed John's wrist that was holding the discs.

Sara put her hand on John, near his hip, subtly.

"We take the data back," Sarge said, slowly.

"Sarge, do you not see what's going on here?"

Sara tightened her grip on John slightly, then let go.

"I didn't see shit. And I ain't paid to see shit. I have my orders. And so do both of you," Sarge said, shifting his gaze from John to Sara.

Sarge turned his attention to Sam, again. "Is this everything?"

Sam's mouth moved, but no words came out.

"I SAID, is this everything?"

"I-I have three more to download," Sam stuttered.

"Then do it."

Sam quickly moved back to the chair, as Sarge moved towards the door. John stood to Sam's left, and Sara stood behind the two.

"_Sarge, we got a problem. One dead scientist is missing_," Kid's voice came over the comms.

Sarge turned back to the other three. "Now."

"You just wanna leave her here?" John asked.

"She's got a job to do. Tex, stay here and make sure she does it," Sarge ordered.

Sara nodded, and Sarge walked out of the door.

"Call over comm. if you need help, okay?" John said to Sara, who nodded.

"You gonna be all right?" he asked both women.

Sara looked at Sam.

"We'll be fine," Sam said, quietly, taking a breath.

"Okay, I'll see you soon," he said, putting a hand on Sam's shoulder.

John took a quick look behind him to make sure Sarge was really out of the room, then turned back to Sara. He looked at Sam briefly to make sure she wasn't paying attention to them.

"You, too," he said, quietly. He gave her a quick peck on the lips, then turned and followed Sarge.

Sara watched after him, a goofy grin on her face.

Sam looked up at Sara, then quickly looked back to the computer.

"So, you and my brother, huh?" she asked, grinning at the computer.

Sara looked down at Sam, grinning.

"Yeah, me and your brother," she mocked, rolling her eyes, and side stepped to where John was just standing.

"How long's that been going on?" Sam asked.

"Uh, a while," Sara grinned, intentionally being vague.

Sam nodded, also grinning, and went back to her work.

"Ugh," Sara groaned.

"What?" Sam asked.

Sara reached up, and took the comm.'s earpiece out of her ear.

"Stupid boys...they're yelling at Pinky for something," she responded.

Sam nodded again, then froze; she sat stock-still.

"Oh, my god," she mumbled.

"What?" Sara asked, worriedly.

* * *

Sarge, John, Kid, and Duke had just gotten through the cut Ark door. 

"Pinky's gone. That fucker ran," Sarge said, wandering around the chamber.

John picked up a grenade that Pinky must have dropped.

"Shit. It got through," Duke said.

The lights flashed yellow, and the four looked around, raising their weapons.

"What the hell is that?" Duke asked, worry laced his words slightly.

"_System reboot. Time required to begin renewed operation: five minutes,_" the electronic voice said.

"Quarantine cordon is breached. This mission is no longer containment. Get all the weapons and ammo you can. We're going through. Move!" Sarge ordered.

Duke and Kid went through the door immediately. John tried to contact Sara.

"Tex, come in. Over. Tex, do you read me? Over. Come in, Sara!" John stopped at the door and gave Sarge a worried look. "She's not answering."

"_Time required to begin renewed operation: four minutes and forty-five seconds,_" the voice counted down.

Sarge looked back at John with a quick, worried look, also. "You got three."

John jumped through the door, and ran back to Sara and Sam. He called for Sara over the comm. the whole time. When John got to the room, and the door opened, he called through the room.

"Sam, Sara," he went around the corner and spotted both women standing next to a table. "Sara, why didn't you answer your comm.? We gotta go now!"

"I couldn't talk to Sam with you guys in my head," Sara replied, calmly, as John looked frantically from the women to the door.

Sara put her comm. back in her ear with an eye-roll and a sigh.

"Why'd they take Goat and not Destroyer? Why Carmack and not Dr. Clay?" Sam asked John.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"Lucy had the twenty-fourth chromosome, but she wasn't a monster. She died protecting her child, not devouring it. Why did the same chromosome that made her superhuman, turn Stahl into a monster?" Sam continued.

"Let's go!" John said, raising his voice, slightly.

"Just give me a minute."

"We don't have a minute!"

"Then give me ten seconds."

"Listen to her, John," Sara said, calmly and quietly, looking at John.

John looked at her, and nodded slightly. They both looked back to Sam.

"This is its tongue," Sam explained, pointing to the tongue on the table that belonged to the creature Carmack.

"This is brain matter from Portman," she picked up a clamp with cotton on it, and held it over the tongue. The tongue lashed out at the clamp, but Sam pulled it back.

John jumped back a bit when the tongue moved.

"This is from Destroyer," Sam picked up another clamp and syringe, injecting the matter into another cotton ball on the clamp. She ran the clamp over the tongue; this time, nothing happened.

"It's choosing, John. It's choosing who to infect," Sam finalized.

"It's choosing? How's it choosing?" John asked, still jumpy.

Sam started to explain as she moved around the room and put some C-24 in a vial. "There are genetic markers for psychotic and violent behavior. It could be a specific neurotransmitter it's picking up on, a ganglion. Latching onto numbers in the DNA code linked to--"

"Linked to what? Evil?" John sputtered, as he interrupted Sam.

"Ten percent of the human genome is still unmapped. Some say it's the genetic blueprint for the soul. Maybe C-24 is what destroyed the population. It would explain why some of them had to build the Ark to escape to a new beginning. Some, it made superhuman. Others, monsters," Sam continued explaining as she brought the vial of C-24 over to the table.

"Oh, my god...we gotta get out of here, now," John said, walking towards the door.

"What?" Sara and Sam said at the same time.

"Come on. Let's go. People quarantined on the other side of the Ark, they won't all be infected!" John said.

"What's going on?" Sam asked, as she took off her rubber gloves and lab coat. She picked up the C-24.

John stopped and turned to the women. "Sarge is gonna kill them all. Come on."

Sara and Sam looked at each other briefly, then followed John quickly to the Ark.

* * *

**A/N: **_Okay, this'll probably be my last update until Saturday night (my birthday, BTW) or Sunday...I'm going to an amusement park with my friends on Friday, then I'm playing hockey and going out to dinner with the family on Satuday. I'll shoot for Saturday night..._

_Does anyone else think that the BFG is a relatively pointless gun? It only has three rounds, and I don't think Sarge used them too effectively...at least to my thinking...and yes, I realize it was an experiental weapon...I'm just putting it out there..._


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: **_Wow, I had one crazy ass birthday...but it KICKED ass! Everything except the 9 hours of driving, when it only should have been about 3 total. (Long story. If anyone wants to hear it, send me a message or leave a note in a review.)_

_So here we go..._

**Chapter 16:**** Not Kid!**

When they got to the Ark, Sarge, Duke, and Kid weren't there. Sara guessed they went through already.

Sam got the Ark ready for them, and John went through first, then Sara.

Sara stumbled, again, as her feet touched down in Earth's Ark chamber.

John caught her before she fell on her ass.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

Sam then came through the Ark, as John steadied Sara on her feet.

"She knows...about us," Sara said, quietly to John, who nodded.

The three looked around them. All the personnel were dead with a bullet through the head.

"Looks like Sarge was through here," Sara muttered, as they moved through the room.

"Oh, my god," John mumbled, then called over the comm. "Sarge, what's your position? Sarge. Sarge, come in. Do you copy...?"

It took John a minute or so before he got a response. By that time, John, Sara, and Sam were moving through the facility.

"Loud and clear," Sarge finally replied, unusually calm.

"Look, do not kill everybody. I repeat, do not kill everybody," John said. "They're not all infected...do you copy?"

"Copy that," was Sarge's response.

There was a long pause.

"Reaper, is Tex with you?" Sarge asked over the comm.

"Yes, sir," Sara replied for John.

"And Dr. Grimm?"

"She's here, too," John replied.

"Meet me in the Ark chamber."

"Right, Sarge."

The three walked quickly back to the chamber. They only waited a minute or so before the door opened. Sara and John aimed their weapons in that direction. When they saw Sarge, they lowered the guns.

They stood around for a few seconds; Sara and John stuck close together.

"You don't have to kill all of them," Sam said, looking around at the scattered bodies, then faced Sarge. "I don't think everyone is infected, or even capable of being infected."

"We have orders to contain this threat by any means necessary," Sarge sneered.

Sam opened her mouth to Speak, but John, once again, beat her to it.

"So let's evacuate the uninfected, and blow this place to hell," he said, through gritted teeth.

"And we have orders to protect this facility," Sarge corrected.

"We don't have orders to kill innocent people," John argued.

"We have to stop anything from getting to the surface by any. Means. Necessary," Sarge practically spelled out.

John and Sarge stared each other down, both raising their weapons. It could have turned ugly if Duke didn't show up when he did.

"Found this little chicken shit hiding under a pile of dead bodies," he said, walking into the room, Pinky close behind.

Sara let out the breath she was holding.

Sam walked over to Pinky, and looked at his neck.

"Am I glad to see you guys," Pinky said. "That thing cut right through the door. I tried to use the grenade, but it came at me too fast. Followed me through the Ark and started to kill everybody. It was horrible."

"There's no wound on his neck. He's clean," Sam said, walking back towards the others.

"I say who's clean," Sarge said to Sam, then cocked the gun. "And who's not."

Sarge pointed the gun at Pinky.

"I mean, it wasn't my fault...hey, I'm not a soldier," Pinky tried to defend. "You shouldn't have left me--"

He was cut off by Kid coming into the room.

"Sarge, there's a storeroom to the south. It's got, like, twenty people holed up inside of it. We gotta do something," Kid said.

Sarge lowered his weapon briefly.

"Your orders were to clean that sector. Is it cleared?" Sarge asked.

"No, I told them to stay put. They're okay. They're just scared shitless," Kid said worriedly, sounding scared himself.

"We kill 'em all. Let God sort 'em out," Sarge said.

John and Sara exchanged worried glances, then looked at Sarge like he grew some more heads.

"This is wrong. I think--" Kid started.

"Son, you don't think! That's an order," Sarge interrupted. "We're in the field, soldier."

"Sarge, if nothing's found them--" John tried, calmly.

"You will obey a direct order of your commanding officer," Sarge interrupted again, ignoring John completely, and looking at Kid.

Kid looked at Sara, then looked back at Sarge, shaking his head.

"No," Kid said, standing his ground.

"Now," Sarge demanded.

"Go to hell," Kid said, through gritted teeth, tossing the extra gun he was carrying to the floor.

Sarge raised his gun, again, and instantly shot Kid, hitting him in the throat.

"No!" Sam and John both yelled, rushing over to Kid.

"Holy shit!" Duke exclaimed, taking a step forward.

"God, no!" Sara shouted.

She took a step toward Kid, Sam, and John, but Sarge's arm shot out, hitting her across the stomach, and stopping her.

Sara looked at Sarge with wide eyes and her mouth hanging open.

Sarge glared back at her, and she took a step backward, closing her mouth, and brought a hand to her face, as she felt the familiar sting of tears in her eyes. Sarge lowered his arm.

"Mutinous insurrection is punishable by death," Sarge said.

"It was his first mission!" John yelled back at Sarge.

"And it's not going to be my last. I need Marines! I don't need anybody else, but Marines!" Sarge said, his voice getting louder with each statement.

Sam got off the floor from next to Kid, and walked back towards Duke. He moved her behind him.

John closed Kid's eyes, and slowly picked up his gun. He stood just as slowly, and took a quick glance at Sara, before staring Sarge down.

Sara took a few stealthy steps away from Sarge, and lowered her hand.

Sarge gave John a look, then raised his own weapon.

"Drop the weapons. I mean it," Pinky attempted to order, holding up a handgun. "I have no intention of being killed by a madman. Drop the weapons."

Sarge's facial expression changed as he saw one of the creatures behind Pinky.

"Ah, there's something behind me, isn't there?" Pinky asked, lowering the gun.

As soon as he asked, the creature grabbed his face and lifted him in the air.

Pinky's 'wheels' hit John in the jaw in the process, and sent him sprawling against the wall.

"John!" Sara exclaimed.

After the creature took Pinky away, Sarge followed.

Sara went over to John, who looked dazed, but otherwise all right...except for the large gash on his left cheek.

"On me," Sarge called.

Duke followed Sarge. After Sara helped John up, they also followed.

"Get Sam," John said to Duke, with a clenched jaw.

Duke went back as Sara and John caught up with Sarge. They moved down the hall; John on the right side, Sarge and Sara on the other. Duke came back and joined John on his side.

They were quiet as they waited for something, anything.

"Listen," John whispered.

They stood listening for any sort of movement.

Within seconds, they heard growling, snarling, and yelling. Then they saw a mob of infected people rushing towards them.

What was left of the team started firing into the mob, hitting whatever they could.

"Withdrawal! Withdrawal behind the nanowall!" Sarge ordered.

Sara and Sarge switched off as they moved back toward the nanowall. John and Duke did the same.

They made it behind the nanowall with lots of cursing. When John shouted 'clear!', Sarge went to close the wall. It didn't close as they continued shooting.

"Fuck!" Duke yelled.

"The wall's not closing!" John also yelled.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sara saw Duke look down at his feet, she turned her head to look at him just as he was pulled down through the grate.

"Duke!" Sara hollered as Sam screamed.

Sara swung her gun to her back and dove across the floor, sliding towards Duke. Just before she reached him, he was pulled completely through the grate.

"Damn it!" she cursed, slamming her fist on the floor as she slid.

Sarge turned at Sara's call, which was a mistake on his part.

Something pulled his feet out from under him, and pulled him through the wall. He grabbed the side as he was pulled.

John looked down at him.

"I'm not supposed to die," Sarge grunted, then was pulled through.

John continued firing at the wall until it finally closed.

**A/N: **_I don't know why the horizontal lines aren't working...are they working for anyone else or is it just my gay-ass computer?  
_


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: **_I'm not exactly sure if I like this chapter, but the thought just kinda came to me somewhere along the way..._

_The first half is the hopeless romantic in me coming through...the second half, well, it's not my best, I have to say...I'll let you decide, though...  
_

_-----------------------------------_

**Chapter 17:**** Unconscious**

**-----------------------------------**

Sara lifted herself off the floor, and went to Sam. She grabbed Sam's wrist and pulled her down the hall, away from the nanowall. John followed after them, shooting randomly behind him as he went.

The three ran into a large storage room. They closed the door and stacked whatever they could behind it.

"How long before they get through?" Sam asked, as she brought a loop of wire over to John and Sara, who continued stacking anything else.

"Not long," John gritted out, as he turned to his side and leaned heavily against the stack, putting his hand on his side.

Sara, who was directly next to him, put her hand on his arm, as she sighed.

"You've been hit," Sam said.

Both John and Sara looked down. John pulled his hand away from his stomach and blood flowed freely.

"Oh, John," Sara and Sam said together.

John stood from leaning against the stack, and Sara moved behind him for support. She wrapped her right arm around his waist, being careful not to hit the wound, while her left arm went under his left to lay across his chest.

Sam dropped the wire and ran to help Sara. Sam placed her hand over John's wound as they maneuvered to a solid wall.

John was becoming weak and Sara couldn't hold him up much longer, so she sandwiched herself between the wall and John. John's legs gave out, and they both fell to the floor.

Sara let out an 'oof' from the impact on the floor and as John pressed against her. She readjusted her position, so she wouldn't suffocate: she got up on her toes and squatted behind John. She was higher than he was then.

Sara watched as Sam pulled out a syringe and the C-24.

"Listen to me Sara, Sam," John mumbled, as Sam filled the syringe.

Sara put her hand on John's forehead.

"He's cold, Sam," she said, quietly, looking at her friend.

Sam nodded and Sara rearranged her arms, so they wrapped around John's shoulders: her attempt to keep him warm.

"It's important. Use an ST grenade when they come through. Pop the top and hit the button..." John said, as he started to pass out.

"John, stay with us. Stay awake. John, stay with us, please," Sam said, trying to stay calm, and shaking John slightly.

John was able to shake off the unconsciousness for the time being.

Sam flicked the syringe, then lowered it to John's arm.

"What's that?" he asked.

Sam looked from John to Sara, then back to John before answering.

"C-24. It's from Carmack's lab."

John pulled his arm away, forcefully, with a 'no'.

"It can save you," Sam tried to reason.

"No way. Forget it," John said, defiantly.

Sara closed her eyes, sadly.

'John, you stubborn jackass, just take it. I'm not going to loose you like I did with Goat and Kid,' she thought.

"You're bleeding to death," Sam replied.

Sara shut her eyes tighter, and her bottom lip started quivering.

Sam saw her reaction.

"No way, Sam. I've done some bad things," John said, quietly.

"I know you," she said back.

"You don't know me. You don't know," he said, still quietly, sadly.

Sara took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and leaned down near John's ear.

"_I_ know you, John," she said, softly.

John still looked at Sam, and she saw compassion and worry flash through his eyes. Sam finally understood: her friend and brother were in love.

"See? Sara believes in you...and you're my brother. I know you," Sam said, as she lowered the needle again.

Sara moved from behind John to sit beside him and next to Sam.

"Wait. Wait," John said. He turned his head to Sara. "If I should turn into one of those demons...a bullet though the heart, one through the head. Don't you hesitate, okay?"

Sara looked at him, wide-eyed, then looked to Sam for an answer.

"She won't need to," Sam answered.

Sara gave John a sad smile, then they looked down as Sam injected the C-24.

"Sara," John grunted, as he looked back at Sara.

"Yeah, John," she replied.

Sara looked at John, tears brimming her eyes.

"I love you, Sara," he whispered.

Sara smiled as a tear escaped her eye, and took John's face in her hands.

"I love you, too, John," she also whispered, and leaned in to kiss him.

When Sara pulled back, John grinned at her, then promptly fell to the other side, where he passed out.

Sam and Sara stayed on the floor. Sam watched as the stack of objects slowly moved away from the door, as Sara kept her focus on John.

Sara was so focused on John, she didn't notice that Sam had been knocked out, and dragged away by the creatures.

Moments later, Sara was hit in the back of the head, and knocked unconscious as well.

-------------------------------

When Sara regained consciousness, she was face down on the floor in the hallway near the surface elevator.

Shaking her head, Sara pushed herself up into a sitting position, and brought a hand to her head with a groan.

She was still in a hazy state of mind when she looked around the hall. She saw Sam directly across the hall from her, so she crawled over to her.

Still attempting to shake off the unconsciousness, Sara placed a hand on Sam's back, as she sat next to her.

"Sam. Sam, please get up," Sara pleaded to her unconscious friend.

Sara heard a clang to her left, so she slowly looked in that direction.

Sarge stood there, holding the BFG.

"Sarge?" Sara asked in confusion, shaking her head to continue ridding the unconsciousness.

"Sorry to do this, Sara," he said walking towards her.

"What?"

Before she could move, Sarge swung the BFG, effectively hitting her in the head, and knocking her unconscious...again.

Sarge placed the BFG on his back as he went over to Sara. She fell to her back, so Sarge put an arm under her knees and the other behind her shoulders. He picked her up, and carried her around the corner. Sarge set her against the wall in a slouching position. He took whatever weapons and ammo Sara still had on her...he only forgot to take her knife.

------------------------------

When Sara woke up again, her chest felt lighter and slightly chilled. Bringing her hand up, she felt that her vest was no longer on her. She felt slightly panicked without any weapons. As she reached down to check her boot, she was slightly relieved to know that her knife was still there.

Lifting her hand up towards her throat, she felt that the zipper to her jumpsuit was unzipped down to her breasts...good thing she wore the tank top.

"You're awake. Good," Sarge said, as he walked near Sara.

Sara dropped her hand and shook her head slowly, ridding the last of unconsciousness.

Sarge kneeled down next to her.

"You bastard. You knocked me out," Sara grumbled.

She then noticed the wound on the left of Sarge's neck.

Sarge brought his hand up and punched Sara in the face. Not as hard as he could, but hard enough.

Sara grunted as her head fell to the side after the hit. She brought her hand up to her face to brush away a few strands of hair that fell from her bun, then put her hand near her eye.

"I am your CO. Don't EVER call me that again," Sarge sneered. "Get up."

Sarge stood up and pulled Sara up with him by her arm.

When Sara got to her feet, she swayed slightly, but Sarge had a good enough grip on her, so she wouldn't fall.

Sarge stood behind her and grabbed the back of her neck with his left hand. He pushed her forward, into a walk, and went around the corner, stepping over bodies as they went.

Immediately, Sara saw John kneeling next to Sam. She was able to breathe a little better, but she felt Sarge tighten his grip slightly.

Sara watched, through the flashing, yellow lights, as Sam woke up.

Sarge stood closer behind Sara and moved his hand from her neck to her waist.

"Call to him," Sarge ordered quietly, in Sara's ear.

Sara felt a chill run through her body and she hesitated.

Sarge sensed her hesitation and gripped her waist harder, making her wince.

"John," Sara squeaked out, just above a whisper.

John turned his head slowly towards them. His eyes briefly showed worry towards Sara, then turned to a serious-angry look.

"Last man standing, Reaper," Sarge stated, and moved his hand to Sara's stomach. He pulled her against him.

"I think she needs medical attention," he continued, referring to Sam.

"Can you get to the elevator?" John asked Sam, not taking his gaze away from Sarge and Sara.

"I'm not sure," Sam replied.

"Try," John instructed, standing up and moving out of the way for Sam to crawl by.

Once Sarge saw Sam's head disappear around the corner, he leaned his head down and placed a kiss on Sara's exposed neck.

Sara tensed and turned her head away from John, looking at the opposite wall.

As Sarge continued to kiss his way up and down Sara's neck, his hand also traveled over her whole body.

Sara's body started visibly shaking and she shut her eyes, tight.

"Where are the survivors Kid found?" John asked, attempting to stop Sarge's ministrations to Sara.

Sarge stopped kissing and moving his hand, as he lifted his head. His hand rested on Sara's stomach.

Sara sighed, relieved, and opened her eyes, still staring at the wall.

"I took care of that problem," Sarge replied.

Sara turned her head back to look at John with wide eyes.

John glanced at her slightly, then glared at Sarge.

"Quarantine's almost over. Power should be back on any minute," Sarge continued, looking from John to Sara.

John looked down the hall towards Sam, then looked back.

"You killed the Kid," John said to Sarge, calmly.

Sara closed her eyes again, and accidentally let out a whimper.

Sarge looked down at her briefly.

"We're all killers, Reaper. It's what they pay us for," Sarge said, looking back at John.

'We don't get paid to kill friends,' Sara thought, sadly.

A disembodied voice echoed through the facility, and the lights returned to normal momentarily.

"Quarantine complete. Elevators back online," the voice said.

Sara felt Sarge ball his hand into a fist on her stomach. As they both looked down at his fist, they saw the glove rip over his knuckles.

Sara looked at John with wide, worried eyes, and her mouth slightly opened.

"It's finished," Sarge said, looking back at John also.

John nodded ever so slightly.

"What do you say we go outside and get some fresh air?" Sarge said.

He took a few steps forward, making Sara walk also.

John moved his gun from his side to in front of him. Sarge (and Sara) stopped walking.

"Are you gonna shoot me?" Sarge asked.

"Yeah, I was thinking about it," John mumbled.

"What about your...lover?" Sarge asked John, pulling Sara in front of him more.

Sara's heart rate and breathing sped up.

"Just do it, John," Sara said, quietly.

Sarge clamped his hand over Sara's mouth.

"Shut up," he growled in her ear, then looked back at John. "What you got left?"

John shrugged his shoulders. "Half a clip. You?"

Sarge lifted the BFG up in front of him and Sara. He removed his hand form Sara's mouth, and moved it to her arm.

"I've got one round."

As soon as Sarge said that, he threw Sara to the opposite side of the hall, then fired at John, who moved out of the way and fired back.

-------------------------------

**A/N: **_Hmm...creepy Sarge, again..._

_More soon!_


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** _Sorry this took a while to get out. Things kept popping up. I originally had this all set to go on Sunday, but my computer was on the fritz. Then I was going to post on Monday, but my cousins from the other side of the coutry are in town, so I spent the day with them. Once they left us, I went to play the last game of softball with my friends from high school (before we all head back to our colleges this weekend) and out to eat half price appetizers. I had planned to just come right home after, but we went to see a movie (Accepted) after we ate, and I didn't get home until after midnight, and I was beat...so here it is now. Enjoy!_

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**Chapter 18:**** Hospital **

------------------------------

As Sara was thrown to the wall, the only thing she could think of was to protect her head. She brought her arms up to cover her head as fast, and as best, as she could.

Sara's front hit the wall. Her chest hit part of the wall that jutted out as a support. She fell to the floor, on her back, and she had to take short, quick breaths in order to breathe.

Bringing a hand up to her chest, she pressed on her ribs ever so lightly, and felt pain. She knew she had a few broken ribs.

As Sarge darted out of the hall, John ran over to Sara, and kneeled on the floor next to her.

"Are you all right?" he asked quietly.

"I think so, just a few broken ribs," she panted.

Sara brought her hand up to grasp John's.

"Go after Sarge and kill him. He has a wound on his neck, so be careful. I'll keep an eye on Sam," she said, still panting.

John nodded and helped Sara to her feet. She leaned against the wall as John took a handgun out of one of his back pockets, and handed it to her.

John took another look into her eyes and turned to go after Sarge, but Sara grabbed his wrist, and pulled him back.

They shared a kiss, then Sara pushed John in the direction Sarge went.

"Go. We'll be okay," she said.

John hesitated, then left.

Sara sighed, then winced from the pain, and slowly made her way down the hall to the elevator where Sam had passed out again.

Sara stood against the wall next to the elevator, gun at the ready, just in case.

While standing there, she tried to fight off the unconsciousness that crept back. She had to shake her head constantly and couldn't focus on one thing.

About two minutes later, Sara saw the lights flicker, but couldn't piece together what happened.

About another minute after, Sara heard boots on the floor, coming towards her. Sara raised the handgun in the direction of the sound; her breathing quickened, as she waited.

John appeared from around the corner, and Sara lowered the gun.

"John..." she sighed.

John went over to her quickly and pulled her into a hug. Sara threw her arms around his neck, as she rested her chin on his shoulder, and breathed another sigh of relief.

John held her tighter and also breathed a sigh.

Sara let out a pained grunt, and let go of John.

"My ribs," she groaned.

John relinquished his hold on her.

"I think you might want to keep this," John said, taking Sara's gun strap off his shoulder, and handing her the weapon.

Sara smiled, took the gun, and slung it on her back with a 'thank you'.

They moved to the elevator to get Sam and get out of that hellhole.

Sara was still fighting unconsciousness as John picked up Sam and they all got into the elevator. Sara leaned in the corner, as John stood nearby and held Sam.

As the elevator rose, Sara looked up and saw sun. She smiled slightly.

"Almost home," she heard John say quietly.

"Good. I'm just going to pass out right now, if that's all right," Sara said, sliding down the wall to sit on the floor, where she gave in to the unconsciousness.

John turned his head to Sara.

"Sara?" he asked in her direction.

No answer.

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath.

John looked up through the ceiling of the elevator and hoped for the damn thing to move faster.

When the elevator surfaced and the doors opened, John was greeted by military trucks, Hummers, helicopters, and many Marines.

Four medical personnel ran over to John as he stepped out of the elevator with Sam.

"Take her," he said to the first person who reached him.

John passed Sam to the med. and went back into the elevator to get Sara. He picked her up gently by putting one arm behind her knees, and the other behind her back.

Sara's head fell back over John's arm, and her own arm hung loosely down beside her.

The medical personnel led John over to a helicopter, where the four meds, John, Sara, and Sam got on and were taken to a military hospital nearby.

John asked that both women be kept in the same room. It would be easier for him to check on both of them.

Later that day, when the moon and stars came out and everything involving Sara and Sam's well being was taken care of, John sat in the window of the room the two women were in.

Sam and Sara's beds were across the room from each other, and they faced one another. Neither had woken up since their arrival.

John kept looking from the sky to the women.

The one time he looked at them, Sam started moving. John jumped off the window, and went to her bedside.

"Sam?" he asked, quietly.

Sam turned her head towards John, and opened her eyes.

"John," she said, groggily.

"Hey, Sam. How're you feeling?" he asked.

"Like I've been hit by a truck," she replied with a small smirk.

John smirked back.

"How's Sara?" Sam asked.

John's smirk faded, and he looked across the room to Sara's sleeping form.

Sam followed his gaze.

"She hasn't woken up yet," he said, quietly. "They said she has a concussion and four broken ribs. She also has a black eye that I don't know how she got, and a few scratches."

"John," Sam said softly, looking at him.

He turned his head back to his sister.

"She'll be okay. She's tough, and will pull through."

Sam put her hand on her brother's arm.

"Yeah..." he mumbled. "Get some sleep, Sam."

Sam took her hand off John's arm, and John sauntered back over to the window. Sam made herself comfortable, and went to sleep.

John retook his seat in the window. Minutes later, he dozed off into a light sleep.

------------------------------

When Sara opened her eyes, there was a faint glow through the room. Her eyes scanned the room. Directly across from her, she saw Sam in a slumber. She figured she was in a hospital...she could tell from that clean smell doctors offices have.

But where was John?

Looking to the window, she found him. He had his head leaning against the wall and his legs were crossed and stretched out on the ledge. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he had cleaned up.

Sara smiled to herself as she watched him sleep.

After a few minutes of watching him, John lifted his head and opened his hazel eyes. He looked over at Sara, and saw she was awake. His eyes widened, and mouth dropped open.

Sara smiled at him, and he hoped off the window, and went over to her.

"Hello, John," she said, quietly, still a little groggy from her unconscious state.

"Sara..." he breathed out.

John brought his hands up and cupped Sara's face. He then proceeded to kiss her passionately.

Sara brought her one arm up and put it across John's back.

When John pulled back, he sat on the edge of Sara's bed, and let his hands travel down her arms and took a hold of her hand.

Sara smiled at John and rubbed her thumb on the back of his hand.

"How's Sam?" she asked, quietly, nodding her head in Sam's direction.

"She's fine. A concussion, something with her leg, and a few bruises, but all right. She was awake a few hours ago, then went back to sleep," John answered.

Sara nodded, and looked back at John.

"How do you feel?" John asked her.

"Like shit. It hurts to breathe a little, and my eye hurts," Sara replied with a small laugh.

"Yeah, the docs said you had a concussion, four broken ribs, that black eye, and some scratches," John said. "How'd you get the black eye, anyway?"

Sara paused before answering.

"Sarge punched me," she muttered.

"What? Why'd he do that?"

"Because I called him a bastard for knocking me unconscious...the second time," Sara explained, rolling her eyes.

John gave her a look that was a cross between sympathetic and stern.

"What? He deserved it because of ALL that shit he put me through," she defended.

John nodded slightly.

"Sarge took my weapons and ammo...did he take my knife also?" Sara asked, hesitantly.

John looked down at her boots, next to the foot of her bed. He reached down and picked up her left boot, where she stored the gift from her uncle. Grinning, he handed her the whole boot.

"No, he either forgot about it, or didn't want to take it from you."

Sara took the boot, and set it down on her lap. She took the knife out, inspected it, and smiled as she replaced it in the boot. "Good. I'd have to bring him back from the dead, just to kill him myself if anything happened to that."

---------------------------------

**A/N: **_Did I mention that the next chapter will be the last one?_

_I didn't?_

_My bad...the next chapter is going to be the last chapter, so enjoy it while you can!_


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: **_Well, this is it. The last chapter. I might do a short sequel or one-shot deal as a final, said-and-done thing, but I'm not sure yet. So, enjoy the ending!_

_Oh, and I'm updating EVERYTHING before my classes start again, so check out my other stuff...if you want. _

_------------------------------------_

**Chapter 19:**** Of Healing and Cabins**

_------------------------------------_

Sara let go of John's hand and moved to the other side of the bed a little more. John gave her a confused look and a raised eyebrow. She rolled her eyes again, and patted the bed next to her.

"Come down here," she demanded quietly.

John understood that. He kicked off his boots, and laid on the bed, under the blanket, in the space Sara gave him.

When he was settled, Sara turned on her side (carefully) to face him.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him.

He sighed, then turned on his own side to face her.

"I'm fine. No wounds," he replied quietly.

"Not even so much as a scar from the bullet wound?" Sara asked in disbelief.

"Nope. See?" John said, pushing the blanket back, and lifting up his shirt to expose the area where he was hit to Sara.

Sara ran her hand over John's skin to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

John put his hand over Sara's to stop her movement.

Sara looked up at him questioningly.

"Tickles," he said, simply.

Sara smiled at him, then flattened her hand on his body.

"Sorry...I guess there's no psychotic or violent behavior linked to your DNA," she grinned.

"I guess not," he grinned back, pulling the blanket back up over them.

"Good, 'cause I don't think I could deal with you being more psychotic than you already are," Sara said.

"Ouch," John said with false hurt, and a smirk crossed his lips.

He leaned in closer to Sara and lightly kissed her.

Sara's hand slid to John's toned back (under his shirt), where she ran her hand up and down it as he kissed her.

When John pulled away, he moved one arm under his head, and the other rested on Sara's hip; he didn't want to cause her any more pain.

Sara sighed heavily. "I can't believe that they're gone."

Her hand stopped its movement on John's back.

John didn't have to ask who. He knew she meant the whole team, but more Goat and Kid than any of them. He looked down at her, and saw a far off look in her eyes...even though she was staring at his chest.

"I know," he said softly. "But we can't bring them back, as much as we'd like to."

Sara nodded, then bowed her head and closed her eyes for a few moments.

"John?" Sara asked quietly, looking into his eyes and not stopping her hand on his back.

"Hmm?" he hummed in response.

"Can we go to the cabin now?" she whispered.

John laughed...a real laugh that he hadn't laughed since he was young.

"Yeah, but you have to heal completely first," he replied.

Sara nodded with a smirk and put her head under John's chin; she stopped her hand on his back, but kept it there and pulled him closer to her.

"John?" she asked, again.

"What now?"

"Did you mean what you said in that storage room?"

John lifted his head and looked down at Sara slightly confused. He looked across the room, over her shoulder, momentarily, trying to remember, then looked back at her with a smirk.

"Yes, Sara, I meant it. I really do love you...and I have, ever since I knew what love was," he said quietly, nuzzling her neck and cheek.

John's stubble ticked Sara slightly, but she didn't care. She smiled, lovingly, at John's affection.

They then heard a cough from the other side of the room. Pulling back just enough to look over, they saw that Sam had just woken up.

Sam looked in their direction, and grinned.

"Hey, Sam. How are you?" Sara asked casually, like John wasn't lying right next to her.

"Better than before. You?" Sam replied, just as casually.

"I wish my head didn't feel like it was about to explode, and, along that wishing line, it would be nice if it didn't hurt to breathe," she said with a smile.

John and Sam both laughed. John moved his arm to rest across Sara's waist, and kissed her forehead.

Sara put her head back down on the pillow, close to John; she shifted her hand on his back.

John put his own head back down on the pillow. They soon fell asleep form some much needed rest.

Sam kept herself busy by picking up a nearby magazine.

Whenever a doctor would come into the room to check on Sam and Sara, Sam would kindly ask the docs to let Sara and John sleep. They obliged, saying they'd be back.

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A few weeks passed before Sara was able to leave the hospital. John stayed with her the whole time.

Sam was released a week previous. John had asked her to reserve the cabin in the mountains for when Sara was released. When Sam asked him why, he lied saying that Sara had never been to a cabin in the middle of nowhere, and he wanted to do that for her...which was actually half true.

Sam agreed and made the arrangements.

When the medical staff released Sara, she practically skipped out of the hospital chanting: 'Cabin, cabin, cabin, cabin...'

John followed her out, grinning.

"I've never you seen you like this," he said when they got outside. "Not for a long time anyway."

Sara stopped skipping and chanting, and turned to John, also grinning.

"It's because I'm happy. Happy to be out of the hospital. Happy to be with you. And happy to finally be going to that cabin," she said.

She ended her explanation in a seductive tone, standing about a foot in front of John.

"I told you that you have to be completely healed before we went there," he said, closing the gap between them, and pulling Sara close to him.

He knew she was healed, but he wanted to be completely sure.

Sara sighed heavily.

"But I am healed, John," she whined. "I feel no pain...anywhere."

"You're sure?"

"Yes," she sighed again. "Feel for yourself."

Sara took a step back out of John's arms and took his hand. She placed his hand on one of her previously broken ribs, and pressed on it.

John watched her face closely as Sara put pressure on his hand and her rib. He saw no pain in her eyes; she didn't even flinch. That was good enough incentive for him.

"All right," he sighed. "Let's go."

Sara smiled and jumped into John's arms.

The two went to the cabin for the weekend, where they relaxed in between hours of passion.

John and Sara returned to RRTS not long after, with a new team. Both of them were promoted because of what they did on Olduvai. John was put in charge of their new team, and Sara was second in command.

They were originally given the choice to leave the military with an honorable discharge or return and continue their jobs. They though about it for about a nanosecond before saying they would return...for a few more years, anyway.

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**A/N: **_And there we have it! Thanks for reading, and thank you to everyone who has reviewed and/or will review! It's been fun!_


	20. FINAL MEMO

Okay. After a long time in finishing this story, I've finally written a sequel to it! You've made it this far, you might as well check it out.

It's called **"The Cabin"** and it's a one-shot. You can get to it via my profile.

Please let me know what you think by dropping me a review.

Thanks!


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